Briefings - Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce
Transcription
Briefings - Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce
Spartanburg Area CHAMBER FOCUS Dräxlmaier Automotive of America Announces Expansion in Spartanburg County More than $22 million investment expected to create 150 jobs C OLUMBIA, S.C. – Gov. Nikki Haley, the South Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Futures Group of Spartanburg County recently announced that Dräxlmaier 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. “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. Last week, 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 Dräxlmaier Automotive of America for their commitment to the people of our great state.” “South Carolina’s automotive sector continues to grow, and this expansion an- nouncement 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 cuttingedge 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 highquality 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. 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 [email protected] or contact Dräxlmaier Corporate Recruiter Lisa Alexander at alexander. [email protected]. BREAKFAST Sponsored by: Ford & Harrison, P.A. Briefings Fasten Your Seatbelts... A Look Ahead at What’s in Store for Employers in Labor & Employment Law Thursday, July 14th 8:30am-10:30am Chamber Members: FREE • Non-Members: $20 per person To register, visit the event calendar at www.spartanburgchamber.com Upcoming Chamber Events Diversity Spartanburg to Host North American Ethnic Ministries Summit in 2012 DIVERSITY CONNECTIONS “AMI Kids: Separating a Troubled Past from a Bright Future” City Range Steakhouse Wednesday, July 13th 12:00pm BREAKFAST BRIEFING “Labor & Employment Law” Spartanburg Chamber Thursday, July 14th 8:30am BROWN BAG LUNCH “The Power of Email Marketing” Spartanburg Chamber Wednesday, July 20th 11:30am For more information on these and all Chamber events, visit our event calendar at www.spartanburgchamber.com. T he Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) proudly announces Spartanburg as host of the North American Ethnic Ministries Summit on April 19-21, 2012. The summit will be held at Evangel Cathedral. Ethnic America Network (EAN) has sponsored the annual summit since 2001, but the conference has always been held in much bigger cities, with major league sports teams,” according to Dr. Jim Goodroe, co-chair of the 2012 summit. The 2010 summit was held in Boston and the summit will be held in Chicago in 2013. EAN, headquartered in Wheaton, IL at the Billy Graham Center, promotes cross-cultural advancement of the gospel and intercultural unity in Jesus Christ. Summit attendance is typically two-thirds from the local region and a third from across the nation. This is the first summit which has had three years to prepare, and a large multi-ethnic, interdenominational coalition staffs its twenty task forces. Conference organizers expect over a thousand registrations and over 3,000 in the evening services. “We are excited to have the opportunity to host this event and be able to showcase Spartanburg to people from around the nation,” says Chris Jennings, Executive Director of the SCVB. Summit evening sessions at Evangel Cathedral are free & open to the public. Plenary speakers for these multi-ethnic worship services are announced on the summit Website (www. interculturalnetworkcarolina.org). Friday & Saturday daytime sessions, by paid registration, include affinity groups and four seminar periods (choice of fifty topics). For more information, email 2012summit@ bellsouth.net or call 864582-2564. The Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCVB) is the official destination marketing organization for the City and County of Spartanburg, South Carolina.