Samsung investing in South Carolina appliance plant
Samsung is investing $380 million in South Carolina to manufacture home appliances, creating an estimated 950 jobs over the next three years, company officials announced Wednesday.
The South Korea-based company is opening a “state-ofthe-art” facility in the former Caterpillar plant in Newberry. Production is expected to start early next year.
“Premium home appliances” made at the plant will include washing machines and will be sold primarily in the United States, the company said in a news release.
The new appliance production in South Carolina comes after other appliance makers have also upgraded or added more production in the South, including Whirlpool in Cleveland, Tenn., Electrolux in Memphis and Roper in LaFayette, Ga.
The Samsung investment was announced just hours after new South Korean President Moon Jae-in left for the United States for meetings with President Donald Trump. Samsung Electronics CEO B.K. Yoon signed the company’s plans Wednesday morning in Washington with Gov. Henry McMaster.
“This new investment will enable Samsung to increase the speed with which we can deliver premium home appliances that reflect the regional preferences of our fastest-growing and most important consumer market,” Yoon said.
Samsung already operates a call center employing 800 people about 50 miles away in Greenville County, S.C.
Caterpillar announced in April 2016 it was closing its 325-employee electric generator packaging facility in Newberry to consolidate production in other states.
Samsung’s decision “is one that will change the very fabric of the Newberry community,” McMaster said. “Samsung will now be an important partner in ushering in an unprecedented period of economic growth and prosperity in our state.”
Santee Cooper, South Carolina’s state-owned utility, approved a $2.75 million grant for Samsung on Monday. Other incentives offered by South Carolina are not public information
until an agreement with Samsung is completed and signed, which can take up to a year, according to the state Commerce Department.
Samsung was the second international company to announce manufacturing plans this week in South Carolina.
On Monday, BMW announced plans to invest an additional $600 million in an expansion in Spartanburg, S.C., adding another 1,000 new jobs over the next four years. The German automaker has already invested $8 billion in South Carolina.