Indian Manufacturer Plans US Debut

By Laura Calugar

The Ridgeville Industrial Campus in Ridgeville, S.C.

Ridgeville, S.C.—India-based Sundaram-Clayton Ltd. (SCL), a manufacturer and supplier of aluminum cast products to global automotive original equipment manufacturers, recently announced its plans to invest $50 million in its first U.S. plant in Ridgeville, S.C. The company intends to create 130 new jobs during the next five years.

Located in the Ridgeville Industrial Campus, just 1 mile south of I-26 and 28 miles from the Port of Charleston, SCL expects to begin on-site construction by April 2017. Owned by WestRock Industrial Properties, the Ridgeville Industrial Campus comprises more than 750 acres of industrial and commercial sites. The industrial park is located 2 miles from the new Volvo Cars campus and 25 miles from the Boeing 787 assembly plant and the Charleston International Airport. SCL has acquired 50 acres of land for its new facility, where it will manufacture aluminum high-pressure die-cast products and permanent mold gravity cast parts for its customers worldwide.

“Dorchester County in South Carolina offers certain strategic business advantages, including proximity to a high-quality port, a well-rounded transportation network, a young, well-educated, diverse workforce and an excellent business environment,” said Lakshmi Venu, SLC’s managing director, in prepared remarks.

As an incentive, the Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project. Dorchester County was also awarded a $1 million grant to assist with the cost of property improvements.

The first production line of this new facility is projected to be operational by the end of 2018.

Image courtesy of WestRock Industrial Properties