Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai (center) visits Sun Fiber LLC in Richburg, South Carolina, on Thursday. Yasmin Sun (second from right), CEO of Sun Fiber LLC, showed the company facilities to the group. Sun Fiber is an international manufacturer of polyester fibers and is owned by Cixi Jiangnan Chemical Fiber Co Lted in East China's Zhejiang province.

Ningbo-based fiber-maker brings entrepreneurship to the US South

A Chinese-owned maker of polyester fibers in South Carolina was praised by Ambassador Cui Tiankai on Thursday for its ability to overcome obstacles.

"I'm impressed by their entrepreneurship," Cui said after he visited the factory of Sun Fiber LLC, an international manufacturer of recycled polyester staple fiber products, in Richburg, South Carolina.

"They don't fear the difficulties, and they have overcome a lot of them," Cui said. "They have adjusted to the environment and found room for development in a fairly short time. I'm very happy to see Chinese entrepreneurs find their path in the US."

The company, which is wholly owned by the Cixi Jiangnan Chemical Fiber Co Ltd of Ningbo, Zhejiang province, recycles discarded plastic bottles and transforms them into fibers for use in home textiles, furniture and in the automotive industry.

"As a family business, we all focus on getting things done," said Yasmin Sun, Sun Fiber CEO. Cixi Jiangnan was established by her father in 2000.

Sun Fiber landed in Richburg in September 2013, investing $45 million to establish a manufacturing facility, which has generated more than 300 jobs in Chester County.

Governor Nikki Haley called it a "big win for one of our state's rural areas" at the time.

"Greenfield investment is the most difficult, as they have to start with everything by themselves," Wally Wang, senior project manager for global business development at the South Carolina Department of Commerce, said on Thursday.

A greenfield is an undeveloped or agricultural tract that is often used for industrial or urban development.

"We want to reach our customers here, so we came," Sun said. "I brought two books with me when I came to the US: One is American history and the other is world history. I figured out that to understand the business here, you have to first understand the country," Sun said.

"So far we have been enjoying a very good relationship with every single partner in the US," Sun said. "Not only we do business together, but also we respect and recognize each other."

She pointed at a flower in the hallway that was sent by one of the company's largest partners, with a warm message.

"Being credible and responsible are the rules that we have always been following," Sun said.

The most difficult challenge for the company is to integrate the local employees, Sun said. She said that one of the company's goals is to have its American employees embrace Sun Fiber as its Chinese employees do.

"Our senior-level and middle-level employees have achieved this," Sun said. "But we need to work with our entry-level employees to build their recognition of our company. This is what I want to achieve in the next half to one year."

Chinese companies invested more than $669 million in South Carolina as of 2012.

leshuodong@chinadailyusa.com