If you've traveled around our beautiful country much, then you know that Southern charm is a very real, and very enchanting, thing. That's precisely why we here at Fields Volvo Northfield we were far from surprised to learn that Volvo Cars had selected Berkeley, S.C., as the location of its first factory in America. The selection marks a $500 million investment in a facility that will have the capacity to produce as many as 100,000 cars each year at the outset.
Located outside of Charleston, the Berkeley County factory will be responsible for turning out the latest generation of new Volvo cars. Northfield drivers in the market for a new car will have plenty to look forward to as the facility prepares vehicles for sale in the United States as well as for export.
Construction of the facility gets underway early this autumn, and the first vehicles are expected to be completed in 2018. With the addition of the Berkeley County factory, Volvo Cars will be manufacturing vehicles on three continents, including two in China and two in Europe, which is an incredible feat for a company that strives to advance its role as a global car maker. In fact, the automaker's first U.S. plant falls in line with the manufacturer's medium-term expansion plan, which is focused on doubling global sales, raising market share, and increasing profitability. The South Carolina facility extends the automaker's expertise from vehicle importer to domestic manufacturer.
Berkeley County was selected for its appealing investment environment, ease of access to international ports and county infrastructure, highly trained workforce and familiarity with the high-tech manufacturing sector. The facility is expected to employ up to 2,000 people over the course of the next decade and up to 4,000 people long term.