In 2021, OneSpartanburg, Inc. landed 44 economic development projects on behalf of Spartanburg County and the City of Spartanburg, resulting in $1.9 billion capital investment and 4,045 new jobs.
Spartanburg County grew in 2021 with the addition of new opportunities for current and future Upstate residents.
“If you think of the Upstate, a ten-county region recruited $2.4 billion in new investment. $1.9 billion came from Spartanburg County,” said Allen Smith, president & CEO of OneSpartanburg, Inc.
“This is across the board. It’s manufacturing, it’s distribution, it’s the therapeutics and the vaccine industry, like PALL corporation, and also the golden goose of the area, BMW,” said David Britt, economic development chair for Spartanburg County Council.
According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, three Spartanburg projects made the list for top ten projects in the state by capital investment. Walmart was #2 at $450 million, Oshkosh Defense was #5 at $155 million, and BMW Manufacturing was ranked #9 at $100 million. Spartanburg was also recognized in the top ten for job creations in South Carolina: #2 Oshkosh Defense at 1,000 new jobs, #8 Pall Corporation at 425 new jobs, and #9 Walmart at 400 new jobs.
“The growth has been tremendous. Over the past ten years, we’ve added 43,000 residents, which would be like adding another city of Spartanburg and town of Lyman within Spartanburg County,” said Smith. “Also, as I mentioned the 4,045 jobs, that’s like every single citizen in the city of Duncan getting a new job.”
Companies entering Spartanburg announced 80% of new investment, with the remaining 20% coming from companies with existing Spartanburg County operations. Traditional industrial sectors including advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, automotive, distribution & logistics, accounted for 68% of new investment. Growth sectors including life sciences, commercial, multifamily, office & shared services, accounted for 22%.
“With the success that we are having today, and the success that we are going to have in the future, the people of the Upstate, and the people that are going to be moving to the Upstate are going to have tremendous economic opportunity,” said Smith.
“You can never take your foot off the gas pedal, because excitement, and energy, and growth means success and we are succeeding way beyond what we really deserve,” said Britt. “We are very blessed.”
According to an economic and fiscal analysis completed by Regional Transactions Concepts, the $1.9 billion of new investment and 4,045 new jobs announced in 2021 will lead to an estimated total employment impact of 10,149 and a total impact on output of $2.8 billion by 2026.