ES Foundry, celebrated the grand opening of its manufacturing facility in Greenwood County, South Carolina. With the ribbon cutting at its more than 400,000-square-foot facility, which is on track to employ approximately 500 by June 2025, ES Foundry is set to become the largest producer of high-quality crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) solar cells in the United States. The facility, which is expected to reach a shipment capacity of 3 GW by Q3 2025, positions ES Foundry as a cornerstone of the domestic solar supply chain.
“Today, we are not just celebrating a factory—we are forging a path to a more sustainable, energy-secure future for America,” said Alex Zhu, CEO of ES Foundry. “Our advanced solar cells are engineered and manufactured right here in the United States, ensuring reliability, efficiency and the opportunity to maximize financial incentives for our partners.”
“To say that Greenwood, South Carolina was chosen to be the home of what will quickly become the largest U.S.-based pure play solar cell manufacturer is the ultimate testimony to the attractiveness of our community for investments in innovative and sustainable technologies,” James Bateman, Economic Development Director, Greenwood County. “The speed at which ES Foundry has converted a legacy facility to cleanroom operations and scaled employment to deliver 1GW production capacity is proof positive of a bright future together as the solar industry experiences exponential growth.”
ES Foundry’s new manufacturing facility represents a significant milestone for South Carolina’s economy and the state’s growing solar sector. According to the Carolinas Clean Energy Business Association (CCEBA), the solar industry’s economic impact in South Carolina is expected to increase nearly fourfold by 2035, with projections showing a rise in annual economic activity from $306.6 million in 2024 to almost $1.4 billion by 2035. This surge will support the creation of 3,315 permanent jobs, generating $260.9 million annually in labor income.
HII Chooses Berkeley County For First SC Operation, Creating 250 Jobs
HII a global defense provider, selected Berkeley County to establish the company’s first South Carolina operation through the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of W International SC, LLC and Vivid Empire SC, LLC (collectively, “W International”), a South Carolina-based complex metal fabricator specializing in the manufacture of shipbuilding structures, modules and assemblies. Through its investment, HII anticipates creating over 250 new jobs.
Headquartered in Virginia, HII manufactures naval ships and defense technology solutions for customers including the U.S. Navy. The company has over 135 years of experience and currently has 44,000 employees nationwide. In connection with the transaction, which was completed on Jan. 22, 2025, HII will invest in new equipment as well as retrofit the acquired facility to meet HII’s manufacturing requirements. The renovated facility will operate within HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division and serve as a manufacturing center in support of Virginia-class, Columbia-class and aircraft carrier programs.
“HII is committed to going where the labor is to increase capacity and increase throughput for our national security customers. This transaction is a win-win with our new partners in South Carolina – we’re excited to bring work and grow jobs. This lets us efficiently add trained talent and state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities to the urgent job of building ships, making it a unique opportunity to immediately accelerate throughput at Newport News Shipbuilding in support of the Navy and AUKUS,” said HII President and CEO Chris Kastner.
“HII establishing operations in Berkeley County further solidifies South Carolina’s reputation as the ideal location for advanced manufacturing. The more than 250 anticipated new jobs this investment will bring is proof that manufacturing companies of all types recognize the benefits of doing business in our state,” said Governor Henry McMaster.
“Today’s announcement by HII is a tremendous victory for the Lowcountry and South Carolina’s world-class workforce. The new jobs the company is creating will have a significant impact in the local community, and we are confident Berkeley County will be an ideal location for HII’s manufacturing operations,” said South Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Harry M. Lightsey III.
