Volvo Car Charleston, a significant player in the South Carolina economy

“I brag about it literally all the time. I basically consider myself to be an honorary Volvo employee.” Corey McClary, the Workforce Development Manager for Berkeley County, produces a big smile when he talks about Volvo Cars and our manufacturing plant outside Ridgeville, South Carolina, about half an hour’s drive from Charleston. Corey has worked closely with our company for years and says the importance of large employers like Volvo Cars for the region can’t be overstated.

“It's significant. We have hundreds of industries here and they are the backbone of a healthy community, of a healthy economy,” Corey explains. “Having industries like Volvo that can provide jobs right where people are living is incredible for Berkeley County. It's a valuable asset that we have. That’s why we are committed to Volvo’s success. Because when Volvo succeeds, Berkeley County succeeds.”

Economically speaking, South Carolina is one of the faster growing states in the United States. Whether you measure GDP growth, population growth or the number of newly established businesses, it ranks in the top 15 for each of those indicators. As a result, unemployment is low and consumer purchasing power is growing.

These forces together create a self-reinforcing loop. More people moving to South Carolina creates more demand for products and services, which in turn creates more jobs and higher disposable incomes, further boosting economic demand. And our Ridgeville plant also plays its part in further boosting this ecosystem.

Rollin’ on, rollin’ off
Take the Port of Charleston for example. South Carolina’s buoyant economy is felt here as well, and business is growing rapidly. It is currently the 8th largest port in the US. It has three large container terminals and a vehicle and breakbulk facility at Columbus Street Terminal, situated on Charleston Harbor in downtown Charleston.

Both inbound and outbound logistics are growing fast, and the automotive cluster in South Carolina is a significant contributor. When more cars are being built in South Carolina, that requires more parts to be shipped in by container. Then, once those cars roll off their respective production lines, many of them need to be transported out into the world by ship.

The Columbus Street Terminal is predominantly a “ro-ro” (roll-on, roll-off) facility in harbour speak. It’s an impressive sight to behold, as line after line of new Volvo cars are driven into the enormous hulls of massive car transportation ships by International Longshoreman Association workers.

The Columbus Street Terminal processes around 220,000 cars per year. A large part of that annual volume still consists of BMW cars and Mercedes-Benz vans, but Volvo (and Polestar) volumes are expected to grow a lot in coming years as production of the EX90 and PS3 ramps up.

Port representatives like to talk about “Lowcountry pride” when discussing the impact of Volvo Cars and other big employers on the region. When a big global firm like Volvo Cars comes in, invests hundreds of millions of dollars and hires lots of people, a warm welcome is assured. Or as Kevin Neller, the Port’s VP of sales, says: “Volvo is a big deal in our state.”

And while we’ve made investments of our own in the Ridgeville plant, including an upgraded paint shop, body shop and a new battery pack assembly line, the Port is not sitting still either as it aims to support its customers’ global supply chains. “We are investing in infrastructure and preparing for the future,” Kevin Neller says. “To be successful, we need to keep pace with our customers and invest along with them.”

Parent company SC Ports has invested USD 3 billion in recent years to modernise its terminals and expand capacity, ensuring reliable, highly productive port service. SC Ports continues to invest in critical port infrastructure, with more than 10 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) of container capacity on the horizon. SC Ports also has the deepest harbor on the East Coast at 52 feet (15.8m), allowing the biggest container ships to access the Port at any tide.

Camping down at Camp Hall
Back in Berkeley County, the area around the Volvo Cars plant is also changing rapidly. Volvo Cars is what real estate pros call the ‘anchor tenant’ of the surrounding Camp Hall industrial park. The park has been specifically earmarked for expansion and other businesses are moving into Camp Hall, as well as similar sites around Charleston.

Camp Hall is located next to the I-26 highway, while the main East Coast highway I-95 is less than 20 miles away. Both the Port and Charleston International Airport are between 30 and 40 minutes away. A railway is also under construction – directly linked to the Volvo Cars plant – and will create an efficient train cargo network from the area. For Corey McClary, the Workforce Development Manager, Volvo Cars’ arrival is what truly kicked off development at Camp Hall.

“The attention that Volvo Cars USA brings, with their first plant in the States; it's right here, in our backyard,” he enthuses. “It puts a light on us immediately, which allows us to tell our story and explain why Volvo chose to plant their roots in Berkeley County. There is Berkeley’s County proximity to the Port of Charleston, the access to two major Interstate highways, an intricate railway system, and other logistical advantages that are unique to Berkeley County. Volvo’s role as the anchor tenant is very attractive because it brings credibility. It gives us an opportunity to showcase who we are, what we can do, and how industries can thrive here in Berkeley County. That’s the ripple effect.”

Another crucial area for keeping the economy zooming is education and workforce training. A network of technical colleges throughout South Carolina closely aligns itself with what employers and county governments are looking for. Specific curriculums are developed together with employers, making sure that new recruits arrive at the workplace well-prepared and with all the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

The next generation isn’t forgotten either, as school visits are part and parcel of the outreach towards the community. “We've been very successful in plugging Volvo in when we go into the local schools,” says Corey. “That is a critical piece because the school district is where the majority of the next pipeline of workers is coming from. So Volvo employees come in to the schools and community with the Volvo orange branded uniforms, they bring beautiful cars, and showcase that famous Volvo team spirit to students and residents. We let everyone, especially the students, see the car and tell them that these cars are made right here in Berkeley County, their home.”