Let's Talk About South Carolina
South Carolina is an interesting place where a number of Tier 1 automotive suppliers have called home, where thousands of large durable products enter and leave the port, where a strong and disciplined labor force with deep roots in manufacturing thrives, where a couple of automakers have set up plants – and where no where else in the USA have we found a place so passionate about developing an educational infrastructure focused around automotive engineering.
The foundation of any great society is a strong education system. The International Center for Automotive Research is a special place – a tremendous symbol of America at its best. A $200 million public and private partnership with a long-term vision to create 20,000 jobs in 20 years – a new engine that will simultaneously drive education, technology, the economy, and set the region up for a prosperous future. There may be an opportunity for Carbon Motors to be a catalyst to accelerate and build upon that foundation.
But their approach to Carbon Motors has been uniquely different than, say Indiana where the Governor took the initiative to drive a top down process – not necessarily better just different. In South Carolina, a community decided to drive the process from bottom up, enlist the support of leaders in the region, and then have the State weigh in. We will see in the end if this technically enticing location will be a suitable home for us – but if the folks on the ground there have anything to do with it, they will be certainly putting forth the absolutely best proposal possible for the Carbon Motors Corporation Board of Directors to consider! Stay tuned.
P.S. And yes they have palm trees there – it is even on their flag! Have to give ’em points for that one…
Tagged: police, police car, south carolina, icar, american jobs, carbon motors, e7, carbon e7, law enforcement, homeland security
Comments
It's a palmetto tree.
Sorry. I know. I often have California flashbacks.
Go with South Carolina. South Carolina has always been a leader in manufacturing, the weather here is great, lower taxes, its a great to place to live work & play. Choose SC you know you want to!
South Carolina is ready for you! I work for Spartanburg Steel Products, Inc. in Spartanburg SC and we are an automotive stamper and we have experience supplying parts and assemblies in the Carbon Motors described style of demand based procurement. Come to South Carolina and let the great people and companies partner with you! Glenn Borthwick Business Developmenr Manager Spartnaburg Steel Products
I read in my local paper that you are thinking of coming to SC and will create a lot of jobs.I want to know how I apply for employment if you decide to come here.
Steve - send your resume to contact@carbonmotors.com
The Greater Greenville area would be a perfect fit for Carbon Motors, as I am sure you have already realized (or are starting to realize)! No other region of the state embraces big business like Greenville does. And no industry is as big a part of Greenville's future as the automotive industry. Favorable employer conditions, a qualified workforce, low cost of living, access to world class restaurants and shows, and an extremely high quality of life make Greenville the clear choice!
I absolutely agree with the world class restaurants - seriously good food everywhere we've been!!!
I have been in the recruiting/placement industry for the Greenville - Spartanburg market for 18 years here. I speak with confidence that the skilled workforce to support this type of industry is most definitely here in upstate SC. Greenville/Spartanburg is the best choice!
i would really like to work for carbonmotors. please send email on how do i apply
Chad - as above, send your resume to contact@carbonmotors.com
I believe the SC is a great location for your company because there is so much automotive related jobs coming!!! CU-ICAR itself is supposed to employ 20,000 workers, and I believe that you will have great support if your company would come to this area...BMW has it's only north american factory here, plus there hundreds of jobs planned in the automotive field here, so I believe that if you choose Greenville-Spartanburg or even NC or GA it would be a great decision and I hope carbon motors the best!!! I would choose Greenville over those locations also because it's close to all of them except MI, and there is the "Port of Charleston", and I-85...So thank you for reading my post!!!
Agree with all that has been said in previous postings regarding the very strong Greenville/Spartanburg area assets that would greatly benefit Carbon Motors. And selfishly, as a leading Southeastern marcom firm that has strong ties to the automotive and transportation industries we'd love to help them succeed in the marketing of their cool product!
STATUS IN SOUTH CAROLINA AS OF 28 Mar 2009: As we have had an ongoing dialogue with the Greenville team for a few years, it has been great to reconnect in earnest. The team has come to Atlanta several times and we have certainly traveled up I-85 more than a few times to learn more about the region, watch the growth of CU-ICAR, and visit companies in the vicinity. They have taken the proactive approach of engaging architects to begin the process of conceptualizing the Carbon Campus on a particular site as well, and are working through some very innovative angles and approaches. The state officials are engaged and responsive - and the entire community and economic development team is pushing very hard. We have high expectations for their proposal.
As a police officer in the Upstate I can't tell you how much I would love to see our department in Carbon Motors vehicles although I doubt tat will happen for many years. But I do think that Spartanburg/Greenville is an excellent choice for all the reasons above. This community and your company will be asn excellent fit for one another. We would be proud to call ourselves the "home" of Carbon Motors!
If I were Carbon Motors, I would definitely choose the Greenville/Spartanburg area for their manufacturing plant. Home to BMW, ICAR, Clemson University, and more it has everything and more that this company needs to be successful in the region. Supplier and worker base is already implemented. Transportation infrastructure is top notch with I-85, rail lines, airports, and Port of Charleston. BMW looked at over 300 different sites in the country before selecting the upstate. Greenville was also ranked the 4th best city in the country to live in according to Relocate America: http://top100.relocate-america.com/
In addition to the above comments, Greenville is also home to the corporate headquarters of Michelin, who has multiple local facilities dedicated to manufacturing and R&D. Greenville and the surrounding areas are also littered with dozens of other first, second, and third teir automotive suppliers, making the Upstate a strategically sound choice. The ever-growing presence of ICAR, along with an excellent automotive engineering program just down I-85 (Clemson), provides a skilled and well educated work force to make your company a great success here in the Upstate!
when will the new location be decided on and when would the construction and production begin??
Just a heads up Greenville was selected number one city in north America of the future (in the micro city category)!!! Also Greenville is in the top 10 places to be for a/this recession. I believe that it would be a great idea considering there is a lot of automotive in greenville already, and cu-icar is in a booming area that will have lots of jobs, residents, and etc (even a light rail is being proposed around that area)!!! I'm not a city council man or anything but I can assure you that it would be a great decesion to mve to Greenville...Email me and if you want me to I'll make a great package for you guys saying the pros and cons of Greenville because I relally want carbon motors to choose a great lcoation that will suit your needs!!! One last thing I'm not doing this for me because I don't live in sc but nc and I will not lie to you guys about which location is better for your company becuase I could have said choose charlotte without an explination. Thank you and please email me...
As the SCDOT Commissioner representing 14 counties for the Fifth Legislative District which I-85, I-95, and I-77 traverse - I can tell you that I have lived in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina - and South Carolina HAS IT ALL - temperate climes, the mountains, the sea, warm, friendly people like no other, POLITE DRIVERS (AMAZING), a great respect for law enforcement and the military, a high focus on education, great intermodal infrastructure, lower costs (BMW is not stupid!), sound fiscal policy, loyalty, patriotism and the practical understanding that sound business makes a sound state which makes a sound life for its citizens. Looking forward with great honor to having you, Mr. Li - and introducing you to "grits". Many blessings, Sarah
How great would it be to have the chance to be part of the start up of something so unique.just imagine the out of the box thinking that could go into an assembly plant like this. where do i sign up? Go South Carolina.
I think that south Carolina is a great place to add your roots.Greenville,SC is a wonderful area, but because I live in Aiken,Sc I think it would be a wonderful place to set up roots also. You have Augusta,Ga That is just over the river and has some of the most industrialized area for miles and we have smart, friendly and technical people down here also.
Please wait…
« Back to Blog