Samsung is set to open a $380 million home appliance manufacturing plant in South Carolina, expecting to generate nearly 1,000 jobs by 2020.
The company, which is based in South Korea, reportedly made the decision following the election of President Donald Trump, after “worries about protectionist policies” allegedly “put pressure on global companies to generate jobs in the country.”
“Samsung reached an agreement with the State of South Carolina to open a state-of-the-art home appliance manufacturing plant in Newberry County,” announced Samsung in a press release on Wednesday. “The $380M facility will produce some of Samsung’s most popular, industry-leading home appliances and will generate 954 local jobs by 2020. This is the latest in a series of investments expanding Samsung’s U.S. holdings and operations.”
“When fully operational, the plant will employ workers across a broad range of advanced manufacturing roles, including craftsmen, operators, engineers and other both technical and non-technical positions,” they continued. “The facility will produce premium home appliances including washing machines from early next year.”
“Samsung already operates a call center in Greenville, South Carolina, that supports 800 full time and contracted jobs,” the press release concluded. “Today’s announcement from Samsung comes on the heels of a series of recent investments in the U.S. totaling over $10 billion.”
Samsung Electronics CEO B.K. Yoon celebrated the expansion in a statement, claiming, “This new investment will enable Samsung to increase the speed with which we can deliver premium home appliances that reflect the regional preferences of our fastest growing and most important consumer market.”
“The fact that one of the world’s largest and most respected technology companies is choosing to invest in South Carolina speaks volumes about the innovation and excellence our talented workforce is capable of,” added South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.“I’m thrilled to strengthen our state’s partnership with Samsung and look forward to working with them to get this new facility up and running, and producing high quality made-in-South Carolina products.”
South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham also expressed his excitement in a statement, declaring, “As a global leader in technology, Samsung could have gone anywhere to locate its new facility, but chose to invest in South Carolina because it’s a great place to do business.”
“Samsung’s new plant will inject millions of dollars into Newberry and serve as a catalyst for further investment across the Palmetto State,” he continued. “I’m excited we are strengthening South Carolina’s collaboration and partnership with Samsung. It will pay dividends for both in the years to come.”
According to the press release, over the past 18 months, Samsung has acquired Connecticut-based company HARMAN International for $8 billion, committed $1.2 billion to “U.S.-based Internet of Things R&D and investments,” $1 billion to “expanding the Samsung Austin Semiconductor facility, established in 1996,” and acquired Dacor, “adding the luxury home appliance company’s Los Angeles headquarters and 240 employees to Samsung’s operations.”
“For nearly forty years, Samsung has steadily expanded our operations in the United States – creating thousands of jobs and investing billions of dollars in cutting edge manufacturing facilities, research and development,” claimed Samsung Electronics America President Tim Baxter. “With this investment, Samsung is reaffirming its commitment to expanding its U.S. operations and deepening our connection to the American consumers, engineers and innovators who are driving global trends in consumer electronics.”
Charlie Nash is a reporter for Breitbart Tech. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington or like his page at Facebook.
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