Bosch announced today the launch of production of electric motors at its Charleston, S.C. manufacturing facility. Additionally, the company plans to invest more than $260 million to further expand production of electrification products at the site, which is expected to create at least 350 net new jobs by 2025.
“We have grown our electrification business globally and here in the North American region,” said Mike Mansuetti, president of Bosch in North America. “We’ve invested more than $6 billion dollars in electromobility development and in 2021 our global orders for electromobility surpassed $10 billion dollars for the first time. Local production helps to advance our customers’ regional electrification strategies, and further supports the market demand for electrification.”
Production of electric motors at the Charleston site began in October. It covers approximately 200,000 square feet in an existing building on the Bosch Charleston campus. The new assembly area includes the production of rotors and stators, and the final assembly of the electric motor.
The company has secured additional electromobility business that requires further expansion at the plant. An additional approximately 75,000 square feet will be added onto the existing building to make room for future production. The total investment for the expansion will be more than $260 million for the expansion and new high-tech manufacturing equipment. The expansion is expected to be operational by the end of 2023.
The Charleston plant stands out with a long history of process competency as well as its knowledge in the area of automation and robotics. Production at the site features highly-automated processes, and the site utilizes artificial intelligence and Industry 4.0 methods to gain more efficiency.
“As more electrified solutions come to the market, the strong footprint and skilled workforce in South Carolina is well established to help organizations bring these solutions to the market,” said South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster. “We are grateful for another strong commitment from Bosch to our state.”
Bosch has continued to invest in its presence in South Carolina. To move ahead the vision of sustainable mobility, Bosch announced its fuel cell stack production lately in August in Anderson, South Carolina, as part of a more than $200 million investment also expected to create at least 350 new jobs by the start of production in 2026.
“Bosch is paving the way by showing the growth opportunities for existing manufacturing facilities that support new technology,” said South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III. “Congratulations to Bosch on another major investment in South Carolina.”
The Bosch Charleston facility, which opened in 1974, is the largest manufacturing site in the United States for Bosch from an employment perspective with around 1,500 associates. It covers more than 900,000 square feet of floor space located on 118 acres.
“We are proud of our long-term relationship with the Bosch team and congratulate them on their latest expansion in Dorchester County,” said Dorchester County Council Chairman Bill Hearn. “Bosch’s decision to bring electric vehicle technology to Dorchester County is yet another example of our ongoing commitment to help our businesses and industries prosper.”
