Company to create 112 jobs in Fort Mill
The Schaeffler Group USA plans to expand its Fort Mill headquarters and two York County plants, creating 112 additional jobs.
The group also will create another 328 jobs by expanding plants in Chesterfield and Spartanburg counties. In all, the company said it will invest $163.8 million to expand in South Carolina, according to the state commerce department.
The company makes precision products for the automotive, aviation and aerospace industries.
York County will get almost 40 percent of the investment, or $68 million. Most of the new York County jobs will be at the company’s two plants at 308 Springhill Farm Road. Those plants produce various bearings, bearing components and automotive components, according to a news release from Gov. Nikki Haley’s office.
Seventeen of the new York County jobs are categorized as professional, three as craftsman, 39 as operators and 53 as laborers.
The York County Council is considering a fee agreement that would reduce the company’s property taxes. Typically, fee agreements reduce the taxes by 43 percent over 30 years.
The Fort Mill headquarters is responsible for engineering, sales and marketing of the company’s three brands, INA, FAG and LuK. Schaeffler is based in Herzogenaurach, Germany, and has 80,000 employees in 49 countries.
Bruce Warmbold, chief executive officer for Schaeffler Americas, said in the news release that Friday’s announcement “solidifies our overall commitment” to South Carolina and to York, Chesterfield and Spartanburg counties.
Company officials in Fort Mill could not be reached for additional comment Friday afternoon. Schaeffler is expected to discuss its South Carolina expansions at next week’s North American Auto Show, which opens Monday in Detroit.
David Swenson, York County’s economic development director, said the expansion was negotiated over three months. He said the negotiations were “competitive,” with interest in the company from states in the northeast and midwest.
Swenson said Schaeffler decided to expand in South Carolina – and in York County particularly – “because of our good workforce and the support from local governments and the state.”
The new jobs will qualify for job development credits from the S.C. Department of Commerce. Job development credits are incentives that rebate a portion of new employees’ withholding taxes. A company can use the rebate to address specific needs.
Schaeffler operates three plants in Chesterfield County, all in Cheraw, and a plant in Spartanburg County. Collectively, the firm’s South Carolina operations focus on the manufacturing of bearings, bearing components, automotive components, motor elements, UniAir components, hydraulic lash adjusters, tappets, chains and precision and linear products.
Schaeffler’s Chesterfield and York County operations will be expanded by adding to existing facilities and purchasing new equipment.
New equipment is planned for the Spartanburg County plant.
The expansions are expected to be completed by the end of 2016.
This story was originally published January 9, 2015 at 7:15 PM with the headline "Company to create 112 jobs in Fort Mill."