Adams & Reese Advises Swedish Company on $13.5M Investment in South Carolina

Adams & Reese counseled Swedish-based WiJo Pouches on the site selection for a $13.5 million investment that will establish the global company’s first North American manufacturing operation in Lexington County, South Carolina.

The manufacturing plant will create 170 new jobs when operations are expected to be online by March 2026. Under its domestic subsidiary, WiJo Pouches North America will lease a 55,000-square-foot facility at 381 Burton Road in Lexington, and the plant will provide contract manufacturing for nicotine, caffeine, and functional pouches. Backed by Swedish expertise and a commitment to harm reduction, WiJo focuses on high-quality, innovative pouch products designed for adult consumers seeking alternatives to combustible tobacco.

“The Adams & Reese team proved to be invaluable. The firm's ability to bring deep knowledge in every required area, all under one roof, was crucial to the success of our first major U.S. investment in South Carolina,” said Jerry Sweetland, CEO of WiJo Pouches North America. “They were essentially turnkey legal counsel, making the process seamless and navigating us through all the varying legal pieces, such as U.S. corporate entity formation, other corporate needs, site selection, real estate, tax, IP, and even our tariff concerns.”

WiJo Pouches entrusted A&R Senior Policy Advisor David King and Government Relations Advisor Kenny Bingham to guide them through a multi-state corporate site selection search. These efforts included working with state and local government officials and various economic development agencies, including the County of Lexington Economic Development, South Carolina Department of Commerce (SCDOC), and South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development. Both King and Bingham recognized and appreciated the level of professionalism delivered by the SCDOC and Lexington County.

The project spanned multiple legal specialties managed by Adams & Reese, and in addition to the work of King and Bingham, our team included: Columbia & Charleston Partner In Charge Will Umbach (tax advisory and U.S. entity formation); Columbia Counsel Burnie Maybank (state and local incentives); Columbia Partners Bill McElveen, Drew English, and Associate Julian Hennig (real estate); New Orleans Partner Chris Kane and DC Associate Luke LaHaye (advisory on tariff impacts); and Houston Counsel John Scott (patents).

“We were honored to guide WiJo Pouches through this FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) project to establish its first U.S. manufacturing plant, marking a milestone for the company and a significant economic development impact for the state of South Carolina,” said King. “This deal underscores Adams & Reese’s long-standing relationships with major international corporations and our capability to lead complex, high-value projects anywhere across the globe.”

Click here to read the official press release issued by the South Carolina Governor’s Office.

About the Adams & Reese Intersection of Business & Government Practice: The Adams & Reese IBG practice group has more than 75 attorneys and advisors located across eight state capitals, including DC. Attorneys and advisors provide advocacy, lobbying, support, and legal counsel at the local, state, and federal levels to companies, trade associations, municipalities, city and county governments, parishes, universities, and nonprofits. Its members include former members of Congress, former state legislative leadership, former staffers, a former U.S. Ambassador, and attorneys and advisors with global economic development experience.