(Published October 28‚ 2003)

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - China's Ministry of Railroads has reached an $87 million agreement with two South Carolina manufacturers and the deal could secure and create hundreds of jobs, U.S. Rep. Jim DeMint said Tuesday.

The lion's share of the deal will go to Pennsylvania-based Harsco Corp.'s track technologies division in West Columbia. The company will receive $68 million to produce track maintenance equipment for China's rail system during the next three years.

Harsco employs about 17,500 people worldwide and more than 400 in South Carolina.

The other company benefiting from the deal is ImageMap in Columbia, which produces measurement equipment to improve railway safety and reduce maintenance costs. ImageMap employs about 30 people in the Midlands.

Neither Harsco nor ImageMap could say how many new employees might be needed to fulfill the contract.

DeMint, R-S.C., said he worked on the agreement for more than a year and the resulting jobs will be "high-paying." He estimated the deal would secure 200 to 300 existing jobs and create up to 100 new positions.

DeMint had asked Gov. Mark Sanford, who is currently visiting China, for his help finalizing the agreement before the trip. "Ultimately, this trade mission is all about bringing jobs back to South Carolina," the governor said Tuesday.