Sundaram-Clayton Limited, a leading India-based manufacturer and supplier of aluminum cast products to global automotive original equipment manufacturers, will be launching its first United States manufacturing operations in Dorchester County, South Carolina. By investing $50 million, the company is expecting to create 130 new jobs over the next five years.

Located in the Ridgeville Industrial Campus in Ridgeville, South Carolina., SCL has acquired 50 acres of land for its new facility, where it will manufacture aluminum high-pressure die-cast products and permanent mold gravity cast parts for its customers. Construction at the site is expected to begin by April 2017, and the first production line is projected to be operational by the end of 2018.

A component of the $7 billion TVS Group, SCL is the holding company for the $1.6 billion TVS Motor Company Limited, India’s third-largest manufacturer of two-wheelers and a flagship company of the TVS Group. SCL also manages Sundaram Auto Components Limited, which manufactures injection molded plastic components.

As an incentive, the Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project. Dorchester County was also awarded a $1.1 million grant to assist with the costs of real property improvements.

“The United States has always been an important market for us. Over the years, we have built strong partnerships with global OEMs in the region and have decided to set up a facility in the country to better support our customers here. Dorchester County in South Carolina offers certain strategic business advantages, including proximity to a high-quality port; a well-rounded transportation network; a young, well-educated, diverse workforce; and an excellent business environment. We look forward to being a part of the community in the county and adding value to it in any way that we can,” said Sundaram-Clayton Limited Joint Managing Director Dr. Lakshmi Venu.

“We are tremendously excited about Sundaram-Clayton Limited investing in our county. While a $50 million investment that creates at least 130 new, good-paying jobs is enough to celebrate, the leadership of this company is first-class, and we will be proud to have them as part of our community. For years, our council and staff have worked hard to get the vital infrastructure in place to attract quality employers and jobs to Dorchester County. This project is the fruit of that labor and the first of many to come in the Ridgeville Industrial Campus,” Dorchester County Council Chairman Jay Byars said.

“We are so pleased to welcome Indian-owned Sundaram-Clayton Limited to our community and to the growing list of global companies who call this region home. This was a seamless effort led by Dorchester County, and SCL will be an integral part of the supply chain for our growing automotive cluster. By choosing to locate here, SCL sends a powerful message to truck and automotive companies around the world, reinforcing just how competitive we have become.,” said Charleston Regional Development Alliance Board Chair Todd Gallati.