JTEKT North America, a subsidiary of global automotive and industrial supplier JTEKT Corporation, completed a $5.8 million expansion of its headquarters on the campus of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville, South Carolina.

To expand that operation, the company added 19,000 square feet of office and lab space at CU-ICAR’s One Research Drive building. This complements the 135,000 square feet of space JTEKT already occupies between two buildings on the campus. The new space will provide work areas for associates who have relocated to Greenville, as well as the new positions currently being filled.

“Greenville is an excellent location for our growing headquarters, not only geographically as it’s central to most of our manufacturing footprint but also due to the availability of talented professionals in business and technical fields. This expansion facilitates co-location of vital functions within our organization and the continuation of research and development, all to better serve our customers and allow for capable associates to thrive in an innovative environment,” JTEKT Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Mike Davidson said.

The expansion project began in 2017 to accommodate the new jobs JTEKT has and will continue to create in Greenville, totaling 100 positions, all of which will be filled by 2020.

JTEKT manufactures steering systems, driveline components, bearings technologies and precision machine tools, all critical to the state’s automotive industry. The company employs more than 6,000 associates at 24 sites across North America, including four manufacturing facilities located in South Carolina. In 2015, JTEKT strengthened its presence in the state by announcing the consolidation of a portion of its headquarters to CU-ICAR in Greenville.

“JTEKT’s decision to once again expand operations in Greenville is a testament to our dedicated workforce and strong pro-business environment. JTEKT North America is a great corporate citizen and a prime example of the growing family of leading international companies located here,” said H.G. “Butch” Kirven Jr., Greenville County Council chairman and director of Greenville Area Development Corporation.

“By expanding its headquarters here and creating 100 new jobs, JTEKT is making a statement that South Carolina remains an ideal destination for automobile manufacturers and suppliers,” said Governor Henry McMaster.

“South Carolina’s robust automotive supply chain continues to grow and thrive, and JTEKT’s expansion announcement is a perfect example of that,” Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said.