The Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce took a moment this week to recognize the impact of global investment in the Upstate’s economy, highlighting BMW Manufacturing Co. and its many suppliers.
During the chamber’s annual International Reception Wednesday at the Palmetto Expo Center, BMW was honored with the International Economic Development Award by the law firm of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd P.A.
BMW currently has 4,500 employees and is hiring additional temporary workers at its Spartanburg County facility, which began production in 1994. The company has invested more than $2.5 billion in the Upstate facility, which builds Z4 roadsters, M roadsters, Z4 coupes, M coupes and the X5 sports activity vehicle.
BMW’s economic impact doesn’t stop there, however, since 39 of its 48 suppliers followed it to the region.
S.C. Secretary of Commerce Joe E. Taylor Jr. says three jobs are created in South Carolina for every job created by BMW. In 2004, BMW and the S.C. Port Authority signed a 10-year service agreement, making Charleston BMW’s largest point of entry into the United States.
BMW helped make South Carolina the only state in the country to have positive growth in auto jobs between 2000 and 2005.
The Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce also recognized the contributions of many other foreign-owned companies in the Upstate. The region has 65 companies from Germany, 25 from the United Kingdom, 23 from France, 21 from Japan, 15 from Canada and 3 from Austria.
Taylor says foreign-owned companies have invested $13 billion and created 40,000 jobs in the state since BMW announced in the early 1990s its Spartanburg County plant.
During the chamber’s annual International Reception Wednesday at the Palmetto Expo Center, BMW was honored with the International Economic Development Award by the law firm of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd P.A.
BMW currently has 4,500 employees and is hiring additional temporary workers at its Spartanburg County facility, which began production in 1994. The company has invested more than $2.5 billion in the Upstate facility, which builds Z4 roadsters, M roadsters, Z4 coupes, M coupes and the X5 sports activity vehicle.
BMW’s economic impact doesn’t stop there, however, since 39 of its 48 suppliers followed it to the region.
S.C. Secretary of Commerce Joe E. Taylor Jr. says three jobs are created in South Carolina for every job created by BMW. In 2004, BMW and the S.C. Port Authority signed a 10-year service agreement, making Charleston BMW’s largest point of entry into the United States.
BMW helped make South Carolina the only state in the country to have positive growth in auto jobs between 2000 and 2005.
The Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce also recognized the contributions of many other foreign-owned companies in the Upstate. The region has 65 companies from Germany, 25 from the United Kingdom, 23 from France, 21 from Japan, 15 from Canada and 3 from Austria.
Taylor says foreign-owned companies have invested $13 billion and created 40,000 jobs in the state since BMW announced in the early 1990s its Spartanburg County plant.