Along a quiet street in the historic district of Beaufort sits a small technology company that is doing big things in South Carolina, the United States, and around the world.
SmartScan Technologies has been a Beaufort County employer for more than 25 years. The company developed the SmartScan monitoring systems that have become an industry leader in the hospital, clean room, pharmaceutical and warehousing business sectors.
SmartScan began working with the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation and the South Carolina Department of Commerce (SCDOC) in 2018 to help promote their business both in the U.S. and abroad.
As a result of this relationship, Bruce Ward, vice president of sales and marketing, recently joined Norris Thigpen of the SCDOC on a trade mission trip to Montreal and Toronto to advance trade opportunities between Canada and South Carolina.
The trip also included the annual conference that each year gathers together key trade representatives from the Southeastern U.S. and the Canadian Provinces (SEUS-CP). The conference focus is one of opening doors for new business opportunities and creating contacts that further the mission of both countries.
“SmartScan Technologies is very fortunate to have been invited on this business mission to Canada,” Ward said after the trip. “We engaged in 14 meetings with potential Canadian partners and made contacts with dozens more. In fact, next week we are returning to Toronto at the invitation of one of the key prospects we met. They saw an opportunity with what we have to offer and are now looking for ways to create a partnership.”
As a small business today, identifying opportunities outside the US can be extremely complex and put a strain on resources, Ward said. “Having the support of the Beaufort County EDC and the state of South Carolina behind us creates opportunities that wouldn’t exist without their help,” he said. “We are grateful to both for the chance to have participated.”
SmartScan hardware and software solutions are helping to define the future of the environmental monitoring industry. Working hand in hand with its South Carolina and Beaufort County partners, the leadership sees a new company trajectory and an expanding business, leading to more jobs and potential partners from within the U.S. and around the globe.
