Above: BMW celebrates the production of its six-millionth vehicle at its plant in Spartanburg, SC.
Manufacturing employment in South Carolina inched up over the past year, according to MNI, compiler and publisher of comprehensive business profiles of the nation’s nearly 400,000 manufacturing companies. According to MNI’s survey of the state’s manufacturers, South Carolina added 1,004 jobs or roughly one third of percent between October 2021 and October 2022.
South Carolina’s industrial employment has risen steadily since the pandemic, with current job levels rising above the pre-pandemic level of 280,956 recorded in October of 2019.
South Carolina is currently home to 4,256 manufacturers employing 282,940 according to MNI data.
The automotive industry remains strong in South Carolina, with transportation equipment posting a 1.3% increase in employment over the year. Transportation equipment currently ranks as the state’s top manufacturing sector by employment with 48,440 jobs, followed by industrial machinery and rubber products.
Growing transportation equipment subsectors included aircraft parts & equipment and boat-building, each up 12% and motor vehicle parts & accessories, up 1%.
Other South Carolina subsectors adding jobs included conveyors & conveying equipment, up 174%; plastic pipe, up 124%; plastic foam products, up 31%; and small arms, up 21%.
These were offset by declines in mining machinery, down 92%; power transmission equipment, down 56%; coated fabrics, down 54%; and surgical appliances, down 40%.
MNI’s city data reveals Greenville ranks as South Carolina’s top city by number of manufacturing jobs, home to 23,732 workers, down 1.8% over the year. Second-ranked Greer accounts for 15,007 jobs, with no significant change reported over the year. North Charleston saw industrial employment rise 1.4% and currently ranks third with 14,804 jobs.
Other top cities include Spartanburg (14,053 jobs); Anderson (10,383 jobs) and Columbia (8,381 jobs).
For more facts and statistics on South Carolina manufacturers, see our post Top 10 Manufacturing Companies in South Carolina.
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