Katazoom has always been rooted in Greer, but now the marketing and branding company has moved into a new facility at 1419 S. Buncombe Road, where the company has plenty of room to grow.
For the company’s owner, the decision to remain and grow in Greer was an easy one.
“I live in Greer, the old shop was in Greer and we love this town,” said Katazoom owner Tom Hyll.
Founded in 2010, the company uses vehicle and architectural wraps, wall murals and signage as forms of visual communication to advertise brands, and while the company’s ZIP code remains the same, its space has tripled — from 1,600 square feet to 5,000 square feet.
“The new building means we can handle more volume with greater efficiency,” Hyll said. “Our last space had room for one vehicle at a time to be wrapped. We can now handle six or more at once. Our print room is five times the size it was.”
Katazoom services
- Vehicle wraps.
- Window graphics.
- Wall murals.
- Digital printing.
- Signage.
- Interior branding.
Of all the services Katazoom provides, its fleet-car-wrap graphics services are the most popular, especially with small- to mid-size companies adding new vehicles to their fleets annually.
Business Development Manager Andrew Long has been with Katazoom since 2017, watching it grow from a small operation to a staple in Greer’s business community.
“Now that we have more capacity, we are able to take on even more work than before, so we are excited about the opportunities for growth,” Long said.
That growth is not limited to Katazoom alone. An increasing number of businesses that originated in Greer have made deliberate efforts to remain in the community, a trend Mayor Rick Danner said is vital for the growth of Greer writ large.
“Like many small businesses, it is always gratifying to see startups grow from a small, often home-based business to building and occupying their own space,” Danner said. “Small businesses like Katazoom are often the backbone of the business community in towns such as Greer because the owners live, work, worship and raise their families in the community as well.”
The growth of Greer’s small businesses comes in tandem with the growth of the city itself, which is now one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, according to the Greer Development Corp.
From 1990 to 2000, Greer’s population grew by 63%.
From 2000 to 2020, it grew by another 69%.
That makes it an exciting time for business in Greer, said Reno Deaton, executive director of Greer Development Corp. He cited Katazoom’s success as a litmus test for other small-business owners.
“As they continue to distinguish themselves among the very best in their field, they encourage the next talented business, entrepreneur or innovator to consider Greer as well,” Deaton said.
As they open the doors to their new space, there are at least two things the team at Katazoom can look forward to: more space and the continued support of community.
Address: 1419 S. Buncombe Road, Greer, SC 29651
Phone: (864) 315-3023
Clemson Connection
There are four employees at Katazoom, three of whom are Clemson graduates with graphic communication degrees. And while Tom Hyll, Andrew Long and Production Manager Jordan Powell all went to Clemson at different times, they are often pulling foundational knowledge from the same degree.
