Auto supplier to open first SC operation in Pickens Co.

PICKENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – An automotive supplier selected Pickens County as the location for its first South Carolina operation in what will establish the company’s main US hub for developing and manufacturing battery products.

The ElringKlinger Group announced Monday that the company is making a $40.3 million investment to establish a manufacturing site in Easley. The investment will create 115 new jobs.

The company will manufacture electric battery cell contacting systems in a 226,000-square-foot facility on 3800 Calhoun Memorial Highway in Easley. According to a release, “Cell contacting systems are crucial components of a battery system that connect the individual cells and make the energy available to the drive system.”

Operations are expected to be online in mid 2025.

“ElringKlinger’s decision to establish its first South Carolina operation is further proof that the automotive industry continues to drive our state’s economy forward,” said Governor Henry McMaster. “The company’s new facility in Pickens County, along with the 115 new jobs it creates, will greatly benefit our state and citizens for years to come.”

With headquarters in Germany, the automotive supplier focuses on two markets: the electrification of mobility and the advancement of the hydrogen economy. The company operates 44 manufacturing sites globally, boasting a “cutting-edge battery and fuel cell technology, related components and assemblies for engines, and the chassis of a car, including plastic housing and metallic stamped and molded parts.”

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