Gnotec Group Investing $5.9M In New South Carolina Operations

The Scandinavian automotive industry supplier will locate new operations in Orangeburg County, SC, its first in North America.

Gnotec Group, an automotive industry supplier, will locate new operations in Orangeburg County, SC, its first in North America. The Sweden-based company’s $5.9 million investment is projected to create 78 new jobs in the community.

Orangeburg County, SC
Meeting at Gnotec Group HQ in Gothenburg, Sweden. From left, Mats Gerlam, Sweden representative, Central SC Alliance; Johan Westberg, General Manager, Gnotec Inc.; Martin Sailer, Member of the Board, Frauenthal; Claes Gabrielsson, CFO, Gnotec Group; Jörgen Oldenstedt, CEO, Gnotec Group; David King, VP Marketing, Central SC; Gregg Robinson, Executive Director, Orangeburg County Development; Fredrik Sidahl, CEO, FKG; Jon Baggett, Senior Project Manager, South Carolina Department of Commerce.

“We at Gnotec Group are excited to take the next step in our development to support our global customers by adding operations in the United States,” said Gnotec Group CEO Jörgen Oldenstedt. “We are very satisfied with Orangeburg County’s great logistics position, as well as South Carolina’s growing automotive industry, skilled workforce and excellent support for our establishment.”

Gnotec specializes in the engineering and manufacturing of metal components for automotive and commercial vehicles’ body-in-white and chassis structures. With operations in China, Slovakia and Sweden, the company utilizes state-of-the-art automated technology in metal stamping, welding and assembly to provide customers with premium-quality solutions. The company’s 30,000-square-foot production facility at 152 Regional Parkway in Orangeburg is expected to come online in the first quarter of 2019.

“The talented workforce in South Carolina has established a reputation as one of the best in the world,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “Gnotec Group’s decision to locate here represents not only the strength of our automotive industry, but the strength of our state’s economy as a whole.”

South Carolina’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project.

“We are grateful and honored that Orangeburg County has been selected by Gnotec for their first North American location,” said Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright Sr. “Gnotec is a leading Scandinavian company that will support nearby Volvo Cars. We welcome many more suppliers to Orangeburg County and the South Carolina Global Logistics Triangle. My fellow county council members, Orangeburg County Development Commission, Central S.C. Alliance as well as the South Carolina Department of Commerce are to be commended for all their efforts in support of this project.”

“We are very excited to welcome a Swedish-based Volvo Cars supplier to Orangeburg County,” said Central S.C. Alliance Chairman Mike Brenan. Our Central S.C. Alliance staff has worked diligently over the past years to market our eight-county region to Scandinavian automobile suppliers, and Gnotec’s decision to locate in the area is a great start to a growing local Volvo supplier base. Congratulations to the company and our partners in Orangeburg County.”

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