ElringKlinger Group, an automotive supplier, has selected Pickens County to establish the company’s first South Carolina operation. The $40.3 million investment will create 115 new jobs.
Headquartered in Germany, ElringKlinger focuses on two growth markets: the electrification of mobility and the advancement of the hydrogen economy. The company positioned itself for both markets at an early stage based on its core competencies – cutting-edge battery and fuel cell technology, related components and assemblies for engines, and the chassis of a car, including plastic housing and metallic stamped and molded parts. The company operates 44 manufacturing sites worldwide, producing innovative solutions for customers around the globe.
“The new site in Pickens County is the next step for ElringKlinger in the implementation of its SHAPE30 transformation strategy,” said ElringKlinger Group CEO Thomas Jessulat. “The American market generally offers great potential for battery technology applications. When it comes to unlocking this potential, the U.S. state of South Carolina is an optimal starting point for establishing the Group’s Battery Center Americas.”
ElringKlinger will manufacture electric battery cell contacting systems at its new 226,000-square-foot facility located at 3800 Calhoun Memorial Highway in Easley. Cell contacting systems are crucial components of a battery system that connect the individual cells and make the energy available to the drive system. The new operation will become the company’s main U.S. hub for developing and manufacturing battery products.
Operations are expected to be online in mid-2025.
The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project. The council also awarded a $750,000 Set-Aside grant to Pickens County to assist with the costs of site preparation, building construction and road improvements.