Eberspaecher North America plans to open a new automotive facility in Greenville County, SC with an investment of $5 million and the initial creation of 30 jobs to provide exhaust systems for BMW Manufacturing Co’s new X3 sports activity vehicle.
The announcement was made Wednesday by the South Carolina Department of Commerce and Greenville Area Development Corp.
Plans are to begin full production in August, said Gerri Taylor, human relations spokesman for the Mauldin facility at 65 Brookfield Oaks, Mauldin.
Dennis Berry, president and chief executive of Michigan-based Eberspaecher North America, said, “The location will put us very close to our customer, BMW, and provide us with an excellent business environment in which to operate. We look forward to starting operations there and appreciate all the support we have received from state and local officials.”
BMW is moving production of the X3 from Austria to the Greer plant later this year as it completes a $750 million expansion of the facility, which includes a new assembly facility and expansion of the paint shop. The plant also produces the X5 sports activity vehicle and the X6 sports activity coupe.
Eberspaecher’s Mauldin facility will be the Germany-based company’s first South Carolina location. It also has operations in Alabama, Michigan and Ontario, Canada.
Joe Taylor, state secretary of commerce, hailed the move. “We continue to see growth in the state’s automotive sector as more suppliers locate operations here, and Eberspaecher North America is the latest example,” he said. “South Carolina affords exceptional access, not only to manufacturers like BMW, but to markets throughout the Southeast. Couple that with a skilled workforce and a world-class port in Charleston, and it is no wonder more companies are bringing their business to the Palmetto State.”
