Kobelco Construction Machinery Make Investment in Spartanburg

Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., a company that specializes in the manufacture, sale and service of construction and transport machinery, is establishing operations in Spartanburg County. The $41 million investment is expected to generate 131 new jobs in Moore, S.C.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Japan, Kobelco Construction Machinery is one of nine business domains of the Kobe Steel Group. Globally, the group, which was first established in 1905, employs close to 40,000 workers worldwide. Included among the main products and services provided by the Kobelco Construction Machinery are hydraulic excavators, mini excavators, wheel loaders and road construction equipment.

Kobelco’s Spartanburg County operations will specialize in the manufacturing of hydraulic excavators. Located off of the Moore-Duncan Highway in Moore, S.C, the approximately 156,000-square-foot production facility and stand-alone office building will be positioned in close proximity to both I-26 and I-85. The facility will allow Kobelco to reduce the production lead time of machineries for its North American customers and improve capability for meeting market needs. The new factory will be incorporated into the company’s North American subsidiary, Kobelco Construction Machinery U.S.A. Inc., which is headquartered in Katy, Texas.

Kobelco Construction Machinery reentered the U.S. market in 2013. Since that time, the firm has concluded dealer agreements with 62 companies, 52 of which are based in North America. Until now, the entire sales volume has been shipped from the company’s Hiroshima Itsukaichi factory in Japan. The establishment of this Spartanburg County facility will reduce operational burden on Hiroshima plant while also allowing for the creation of an optimal group-wide production system.

Construction of the facility is expected to be completed in December 2015. Hiring for most of the new positions is anticipated to take place in July 2015. Interested candidates should contact Norma Sanchez, Human Resource Manager of Kobelco Construction Machinery U.S.A., Inc., at SCFactoryEmployment@kobelconet.com. For more information on Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. please visit www.kobelco-kenki.co.jp and for Kobelco Construction Machinery U.S.A., Inc. please visit www.kobelco-usa.com.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved a $750,000 set aside grant to assist with the costs of real property improvements as well as job development credits related to the project.