2024 Deal of the Year Awards — an annual recognition of economic development projects demonstrating innovation and impact.

CALL FOR ENTRIES: 2024 Deal Of The Year Awards
Submit By November 21st!

Have a nice weekend!

AESC And Amazon Announce Expansions In South Carolina

EV battery maker's AESC expansion in Florence County, SC represents more than $3 billion in investment there since 2022, while Amazon is expanding its presence in the state with a same-day delivery facility in North Myrtle Beach.

AESC, a Japan-based battery technology company, has announced the expansion of its lithium-ion electric vehicle battery manufacturing operations in Florence County, South Carolina. The company’s $1.5 billion investment will create 1,080 new jobs. This investment follows AESC’s initial announcement in December 2022 and expansion announcement in December 2023, resulting in a total investment of $3.12 billion and supporting 2,700 new jobs across the local community.

With this expansion of AESC’s production footprint in the United States, the company will construct a second state-of-the-art electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility adjacent to the first building which broke ground in June 2023.

The AESC campus is located in the more than 1,000-acre Florence Global Technology Park. Operations are expected to be online in 2027.

AESC
Image: S.C. Commerce

In 2022, the company announced a multi-year partnership with BMW to supply technology-leading battery cells to be used in the next generation electric vehicle models produced at Plant Spartanburg. AESC’s latest expansion will extend the partnership to additionally provide electric vehicle battery components for BMW Group’s Mexico Assembly Operations.

At meetings on March 20 and March 26, 2024, the Joint Bond Review Committee and the State Fiscal Accountability Authority authorized the issuance of up to an additional $111 million in state general economic development bonds in support of the expanded project, as well as the costs of issuance. The bond proceeds will be used to offset the costs of a county-owned warehouse building, site preparation, on-site roads, off-site road and water improvements, and additional expansion of the training center that will serve both manufacturing facilities at the Florence site. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development also approved job development credits related to the project.

“We greatly value our partnership with South Carolina and Florence County as we strengthen our work together through this latest expansion that enhances our commitment to create high value jobs in the region and invest in the state,” said AESC CEO Shoichi Matsumoto. “South Carolina is a crucial part of our strategy to power next generation electric vehicles for customers across the U.S. by manufacturing high-performance, longer-range EV batteries locally. Through our collaborative efforts, I am excited that we are able to support thousands of new workers and increase both AESC and South Carolina’s leadership in providing advanced clean energy transportation solutions.

“South Carolina is proud to have AESC as a key player in our state’s burgeoning electric vehicle industry,” said Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III. “Its expanding presence has helped our state assemble the backbone of the ecosystem that will take us through the entire life cycle of the electric vehicle battery.”

When this expansion investment was announced earlier this week, North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA) Executive Committee Chairman Yancey McGill, said “Today’s announcement by AESC is a truly remarkable economic development achievement. The continued momentum of AESC’s presence in Florence County brings even more high-level jobs and opportunities to residents of the region. This landmark initiative epitomizes the strength of our region’s business climate, and we commend AESC for their commitment to South Carolina.”

Amazon To Open First North Myrtle Beach, SC Facility

Also this week, Amazon entered into an agreement to construct a Same-Day Delivery facility in North Myrtle Beach, SC. The facility, which will be approximately 165,000 square feet, is located within the Palmetto Coast Industrial Park. Launch plans for this facility are in the early stages, with construction starting earlier this month.

Photo: Amazon

“South Carolina is a great place to live and work, and we’re excited to be growing our operations footprint in Myrtle Beach,” said Amazon Manager of Economic Development Sam Blatt. “Same-Day Delivery facilities are finely curated to the areas and customers they serve, so product selection varies by city. It’s also one of our fastest ways to serve our customers, which improves the overall shopping experience. We appreciate the support of our great partners, including the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation, Horry County, and the City of North Myrtle Beach, and we look forward to sharing more details about this facility in the future.”

Same-Day Delivery facilities allow Amazon to fulfill, sort, and deliver orders from one site — speeding the entire process of delivering customer packages.

“It is an exciting and great day for an announcement,” said Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation (MBREDC) President Sandy Davis. “Amazon has been amazing to work with over the past year, and we look forward to watching them continue to grow. Thank you to our partners at Edgewater Ventures, Horry County and the City of North Myrtle Beach for making it happen. Welcome to Horry County!”

Since 2010, Amazon has created more than 6,500 full- and part-time jobs in South Carolina and invested $6.3 billion across the state, including infrastructure and compensation to its employees.

Check out all the latest news related to South Carolina economic development, corporate relocation, corporate expansion, and site selection.

 

Capital Investment, Featured, Foreign Direct Investment, Industries, Logistics/Warehouse/Distribution, Manufacturing, Site Selection Factors, South Carolina, Uncategorized, USA - Southeast

Advanced Manufacturing, AESC, Amazon, Battery Manufacturing, Florence County, fulfillment centers, Horry County, North Myrtle Beach, Single Location, south carolina

Sponsored Content
Featured Location

Location Spotlight: Topeka, Kansas

With three top universities in the area and connectivity via major interstates, Topeka, Kansas is rich with opportunity. Visit the GO Topeka Economic Partnership to learn more.

Featured Video

Camp Hall – A Next Generation Commerce Park in South Carolina

Camp Hall is a first-of-its-kind, master-planned industrial work space located in Charleston, S.C. As a convergence of people, place and programming, Camp Hall delivers thoughtful infrastructure and logistical features that empower people — and business — to thrive.

Webinars, Podcasts & Videos

Minnesota is home to the #1 health care cluster in the world according to Medical Alley. In this short video we take a look at why.

Doing Business in Minnesota, a Microbiologics Perspective

Minnesota is a place where the stars align — geography, culture and institutions – to create an unmatched economic landscape. See why Microbiologics CEO Kristen Knox says there’s no place in the world she’d rather do business than in Minnesota.

Camp Hall – A Next Generation Commerce Park in South Carolina

Camp Hall is a first-of-its-kind, master-planned industrial work space located in Charleston, S.C. As a convergence of people, place and programming, Camp Hall delivers thoughtful infrastructure and logistical features that empower people — and business — to thrive.

Manufacturing Success In The 21st Century

Watch Now: Manufacturing Success In The 21st Century

View this free video webinar and learn about the strategies for success manufacturing leaders are using to grow their business in the 21st Century.

Share to...