Major Employers Are Growing Their Presence in Western South Carolina
From the rolling hills in Edgefield County to the industrial sites in Aiken County, Western South Carolina is emerging as one of the Southeast’s most appealing destinations for advanced manufacturing and business expansion. The four-county region – Aiken, Edgefield, Saluda and McCormick – offers companies a rare combination of affordability, accessibility and community partnership.
“Today, we are doing extremely well,” says Will Williams, president and CEO of the Western SC Economic Development Partnership. “That has accelerated over the last four to five years as we’ve seen more people moving in. We’ve seen other areas of South Carolina reach capacity with the amount of property they have for industrial development. Companies are starting to look at areas like Western South Carolina because of the pro-business climate.”
That welcoming climate, combined with shovel-ready sites and a skilled workforce, has fueled a wave of expansions from both global corporations and innovative newcomers.
Support to Expand
Among the largest investments in the region is Rolls-Royce’s $75 million expansion of its Aiken County facility, which has been a hub of growth since it opened in 2010.
“This latest $75 million investment is to expand our machining capabilities to support the tremendous production ramp-up of our mtu Series 4000 diesel engines that power our mission-critical diesel generator sets for data center applications,” says Philipp Steinle, vice president of operations at Rolls-Royce’s Graniteville campus.
The expansion will add 60 new jobs and extend the existing manufacturing footprint by up to 60,000 square feet in two phases. Steinle says local and state partnerships were key to Rolls-Royce’s decision to reinvest in Aiken.
“In the 15 years since we moved to Aiken, we have received tremendous support from local and state authorities to encourage our growth,” he says. “We are proud of our long-lasting relationships with the local career centers and tech colleges, which support us in offering training classes to develop the workforce skills a business like ours requires.”
A Strong Workforce
Nearby, Kimberly-Clark is expanding its Beech Island campus, which is already the company’s largest manufacturing site in America, by constructing a 1.2 million-square-foot automated distribution center. The project integrates robotics and AI-powered logistics to streamline operations and strengthen the company’s supply chain in the Southeast.
The expansion underscores the region’s depth of workforce talent – a strength shared by all four counties.
“The local workforce in Aiken County has been instrumental to Kimberly-Clark’s success,” says Jeff Hutter, plant manager of the facility. “We’re fortunate to have a highly skilled and empowered team that brings deep experience and dedication.”
The region’s strong talent base did not happen by accident. Williams says local leaders and schools are working intentionally to build a pipeline for future growth.
“Every school district we work with in the four-county region has a very strong program of developing young people, whether it be to go to a four-year college or immediately into the workforce,” Williams says. “We’re trying to get the message out to middle schoolers and late-stage elementary school kids that manufacturing is a good career path.”
Innovation and Collaboration
Other companies are also taking notice of the region. German precision engineering firm Mikro-Technik recently chose McCormick County for its first North American operation, while Meta, Columbia Vehicle Group and Luck Cos. have announced expansions or new facilities in the region.
Williams says the region’s success comes down to collaboration within the business community and among local leaders.
“We work with our electric cooperatives and investor-owned utilities to ensure that the sites we have can be served,” he says. “We’ve extended water and sewer access to the property lines of the sites that are ready to be developed because speed to market is key.”
That teamwork extends across county lines.
“A company wants to attract the workforce,” Williams says. “Geopolitical lines are not something that they’re typically concerned about. That’s why it’s good to have a regional approach.”
With billions in investments underway and an increasingly skilled workforce, Western South Carolina is positioned for continued growth. Williams says the momentum is likely to continue, too.
“Our elected officials are working diligently to bring employment opportunities to our region, and things are going to continue to go quite well over the next at least three to four years,” he says.
Get to Know Western South Carolina
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