Since beginning production in South Carolina, international automakers have been an important part of the fabric of the state’s automotive manufacturing industry. And last year, those companies marked a milestone: for the first time, international automakers in the U.S. outperformed Detroit’s automakers in vehicle production, marking a historic shift in the U.S. automotive landscape. Investments from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo have cultivated economic growth and career opportunities for communities throughout South Carolina and the country.
In South Carolina, international automakers produced 486,358 vehicles in 2023 alone. And with 500 facilities across 36 states, international automakers out-produced the Detroit-3 by more than 300,000 vehicles.
This achievement can be attributed to several factors, including investment in new facilities, increased production of new vehicle models, and continuous investment into the efficiency and productivity of existing facilities, leading to an average production per U.S. factory of 250,000 units. But the No. 1 reason that international automakers were able to reach this milestone is the dedication and commitment automakers have to their operations here in South Carolina and across the country…