Our History
Palmetto Vermiculite was founded in 1988 by Ray Brown. Ray is a serial entrepreneur who has had many successful businesses despite only graduating from the 8th grade. He started with nothing more than a single furnace given to him by Bill Strong of The Strong Company and fierce supporter in his wife, Edna Brown. Together they have built Palmetto into what it has become today. Although they have handed the daily operations over to their grandson, Hunter Brown, who joined the company in 2014; they are still vital members of the organization and have set the standard that Palmetto will always aim to carry on.
Ray's Way
At Palmetto, we talk a lot about doing things Ray’s Way. He is a man of humble beginnings who believes in doing things the right way and always taking care of the customer. His values are simple:
- Make vermiculite.
We take great pride in knowing that our product is the cleanest most expanded on the market. Ray has always preached quality first. - Make partnerships.
With Palmetto Vermiculite, you’re never just a customer. We want to partner with you to help maximize your need fulfillment. - Make them happy.
Our staff works diligently across all departments to ensure a quality service experience. We want you to know that we can deliver when you need it most.
And as Ray always says, “Sell, Sell, Sell!”
Our Facility
Sitting on 250 acres, we have over 110,000 square feet of warehousing and manufacturing space to help meet demand as well as plenty of room for growth. Our facility not only serves us, but allows us to serve you.
Community Building
Palmetto Vermiculite takes pride in being an active philanthropic member of Spartanburg County and helping our community grow. Through various programs and donations throughout the year, Palmetto is able to fulfill its mission to educate local youth about the benefits of growing your own food and living a healthy lifestyle.
As a sponsor of the Hub City Farmer’s Market, we have been able to team up with them on the Urban Farm Education Program. Local elementary students participate in a classroom curriculum that promotes a healthy lifestyle. They then get to have a dedicated raised bed at the Urban Farm to see the growing process over a semester. This hands-on experience will teach them new skills and the value of gardening.
Palmetto also has teamed up with Spartanburg County District 6 on their Farm to School Program. In an effort to create healthier options in their cafeterias, the schools partnered together to grow their own community crops. We were happy to participate by donating vermiculite which was used to help germinate their seeds and kick off the growing process. The program has been so successful that they have started their own D6 Farmer’s Market that allows community members to purchase organically grown fruits and vegetables as well. The students are actively involved in the growing process from germinating seeds in the greenhouse, transplanting the seedlings into the garden, and to harvesting the fruits and vegetables for the schools and the community.
