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Gov. Nikki Haley, the South Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Futures Group of Spartanburg County today announced that Draexlmaier Automotive of America LLC, an affiliate of the Dräxlmaier Group, will expand its current facility in Spartanburg County. The $22.35 million investment is expected to generate 150 new jobs over the next five years.
Gov. Haley and Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt today toured a Dräxlmaier Group Automotive facility in Germany.
“This investment will allow Dräxlmaier to grow and remain competitive,” said Stefan Bude, chief financial officer for Dräxlmaier Group, North America region. “It also shows our commitment to the Upstate and South Carolina as a long-term production site.”
Dräxlmaier will upgrade its facility, located at 1751 East Main Street in Duncan, to accommodate increased production. The investment includes the previously announced addition of a $10 million, 64,500-square-foot production building to the existing facility, as well as upgrades to the plant infrastructure and equipment. Earlier today, Gov. Haley met with executives at the Dräxlmaier headquarters in Germany.
“We are on a roll creating jobs for the people of South Carolina,” Gov. Haley said. “Please join me in thanking Draexlmaier Automotive of America for their commitment to the people of our great state.”
“South Carolina’s automotive sector continues to grow, and this expansion announcement by Dräxlmaier is another indication of that fact. Our state’s business-friendly climate and skilled workforce continue to attract investment and help our existing businesses grow. We appreciate Dräxlmaier’s decision to continue to do business in the Palmetto State,” said Bobby Hitt, Secretary of Commerce.
The new production hall will expand the plant’s capacity by more than a third and house state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge technology for the assembly of vehicle interiors and components, including instrument panels, center consoles and door panels.
“We are extremely delighted that Dräxlmaier has chosen to expand their Duncan facility. We are always excited when existing companies grow, verifying Spartanburg County as an excellent location to do business. We appreciate their continued commitment to our corporate community and their ongoing investment of operations and job opportunities,” said David Britt, chairman of Economic Development Committee of Spartanburg County Council and board member of the Economic Futures Group.
A Tier I supplier to the international automotive industry, Dräxlmaier manufactures premium interiors and plastic components at its Duncan site, which is also home to the company’s U.S. headquarters. Built in 1998, the facility has been expanded twice since then, the last time in 2005 when a new R&D wing was added to the existing building.
“Our Duncan plant plays an important strategic role for our North America business,” said Karl Wallner, board member of the Germany-based Dräxlmaier Group. “The expansion shows that we are committed to a steady growth in this region. The well-trained and highly-skilled workforce in South Carolina will help us to design and manufacture high-quality products for the international automotive industry.”
“As the demand for our products increases, this expansion will help us meet the needs of our customers and position us for future growth,” Ulrich Eichler, chief operating officer for Dräxlmaier Group, North America region.
Construction of the building addition has been underway since early March and is expected to be completed by mid-September. The addition was designed by Germany-based DELTA ImmoTec GmbH. Local contractors include Context Design Group PLLC of Greenville, S.C.; MB Kahn Construction Company of Greenville, S.C.; Paragon Engineering & Geosciences LLC of Greenville, S.C.; and Collins Hammett Construction LLC of Greer, S.C.
The company will begin hiring for the positions in July. Anyone interested in job opportunities with the company should submit his or her resume to JDUN@draexlmaier.us or contact Dräxlmaier Corporate Recruiter Lisa Alexander at alexander.lisa@draexlmaier.us.
Draexlmaier Automotive of America is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Dräxlmaier Group of Germany. Dräxlmaier currently operates at 57 plant sites in 21 countries. The company’s main lines of business include interior components, cockpits, wiring harness and electrical management systems. Customers in North America include BMW, General Motors/Cadillac and Volkswagen. For more information about the company, please visit www.draexlmaier.de/index_en.htm.
About S.C. Department of Commerce
The S.C. Department of Commerce works closely with economic development professionals throughout the state to recruit new jobs and investments and help existing businesses grow. In 2010, Commerce recruited a record 20,453 new jobs and $4.1 billion in capital investment. Commerce won the Gold Shovel Award and the Deal of Year Award in 2011 from Area Development magazine. Trade & Industry Development magazine selected two projects recruited by Commerce and its allies in 2010 for the magazine’s annual Corporate Investment & Community Impact Awards. Commerce’s efforts have resulted in the successful recruitment of numerous world-class companies such as Boeing, Monster.com, Heinz, ZF Group, BMW and Google Inc. In addition to job and investment recruitment, the agency provides a range of business support services and offers grants for community development and infrastructure improvements. For more information, visit www.SCcommerce.com.
