Local Data
Location & Expansion Log
Diverse companies – from startups to multinational corporations – continue to relocate and expand existing operations in the Charleston region.
Archive: 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
Downsizing
2020
ARD Logistics DBA Key Logistics
September 30, 2020
3PL services
A Ladson company that provides logistics services for Cummins Turbo Technologies is laying off 106 workers, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be out of a job. ARD Logistics, which does business as Key Logistics Solutions, told the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce that Cummins “has decided for strategic reasons” to terminate its contract as of Sept. 30. All of the workers are expected to be hired by Cummins or another logistics firm working with the turbocharger manufacturer. “We are currently working on a transition plan to seamlessly move this work back to the Cummins organization or a third-party identified by Cummins,” said ARD Logistics officials.
SKF Aero Bearings
September 24, 2020
Precision bearings manufacturer
By the end of 2021, SKF will consolidate its North Charleston plant and another in Avon, Ohio, into its existing Sumter SC location, affecting approximately 120 Charleston area jobs. SKF's joint venture with GE Aviation, Venture Aerobearings LLC (established in the Charleston area in 2007) will remain in the Charleston Metro Area. The firm reports the shifts as part of broader corporate-wide restructuring necessary to maintain competitiveness.
Thrace LINQ Inc.
June 16, 2020
Mfg & distribution of geosynthetics and industrial fabrics with applications in automotive, construction and other sectors
The textile firm has sold its local property and moved its operations to an affiliated facility in Scotland, affecting 70 local jobs. Athens, Greece-based Thrace Group cited slowing demand for its products in the United States as one of the reasons for the move. A Boston-based affiliate of GFI Investors purchased the 563,154-square-foot building on 43 acres at 2550 W. 5th St. for $14.5 million, according to Dorchester County property records. The group plans to renovate the site with a new roof, parking lot, paint and rehabilitation of the adjacent Norfolk Southern rail site. GFI will rebrand the property as Eastport Industrial Complex.
Wild Dunes Resort
June 5, 2020
Resort
Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms announced plans to lay off 158 employees, effective June 15. In a statement, managing director Frank Fredericks cited financial challenges from the pandemic and said the beachfront golfing and tennis destination hopes to rehire workers next year when it opens a new 153-key hotel, The Sweetgrass Inn. [updated 8/17/20: original announcement before the layoffs reported 297 positions affected but official layoff notices report 158.]
The Boeing Company
May 28, 2020
Aircraft assembly and final delivery
Boeing has announced that it will cut its global workforce by 10% corporate-wide by the end of 2020 due to decline in the airline industry globally after COVID-19, equating to about 12,000 jobs affected in the United States. Specifics by state or for all campuses are not yet publicly available.
Blackbaud
May 19, 2020
Software
Citing financial stress from the COVID-19 pandemic, software business Blackbaud Inc. initiated a minor round of layoffs that took effect May 19, 2020. The Daniel Island-based technology company did not disclose how many of its 1,400 employees were affected by the payroll cutback, stating only “it was a small percentage of our overall workforce.” Blackbaud has facilities worldwide, but the majority of its staff is located at the Charleston headquarters. The firm's software and services help schools, churches, charities and other nonprofit groups raise money and manage their operations. Those institutions are struggling with fewer donations and revenue than usual due to the pandemic.
James Hardie Industries
May 6, 2020
Manufacturer of cement-based exterior siding and other products for the housing and commercial construction markets
The Charleston area plant is being closed as part of a business restructuring plan by its Irish owner. “The move will realign supply and demand in the North American market following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the company said. Hardie bought the Cemplank plant in Summerville in 2003, then closed it in 2009 due to the Great Recession, while maintaining ownership of the facility. They re-opened it in 2017 due to the strength of the revived economy and growth in the construction sector. This mid-2020 closure will affect 60 local positions.
Benefitfocus
April 29, 2020
Software technology that helps manage workplace benefits
One of the Charleston region’s largest technology employers plans to lay off 250 workers, or about 17% of its workforce, citing the financial stress from the coronavirus pandemic. Other actions include reducing take-home pay of the CEO and the Exec Chair of the Board of Directors to 0, 20% salary reduction for the executive leadership team, suspension of travel and other non-critical expenses, as well as other actions until conditions stabilize.
Kiawah Island Golf Resort
April 4, 2020
Resort
April 4: Layoff affecting 1,090 positions due to COVID-19. June 4, 2020 update: Resort re-opened and has begun bringing workers back. Expectations are to be back to 65% of its typical workforce level by end of June.
Go Rentals
March 21, 2020
Auto rental
Layoff affecting 275 positions due to COVID-19's affect on the travel industry
Hall Chophouse & subsidiaries
March 18, 2020
Steak houses, catering and restaurants in the Charleston region
Layoff affecting 340 positions due to COVID-19's impact on restaurant industry
DSV Solutions, LLC
February 2, 2020
Third-party logistics provider
DSV Solutions, which operates a Sam’s Club distribution center in Charleston, says it will no longer operate the warehouse at 2200 Charleston Regional Parkway after Feb. 12, affecting 69 jobs. However, DSV says the new firm that is replacing them as the Sam's Club 3PL provider will likely hire most of this existing staff.
Robert Bosch LLC
January 16, 2020
Automotive parts manufacturer
Robert Bosch LLC's Charleston area plant is cutting 340 full-time jobs and 90 temporary positions while also planning to staff up in other areas amid a profound shift in global demand. The plant is expected to secure additional manufacturing business and jobs tied to the rising demand for electric vehicles, but estimates for staff expansion are not yet available. Layoffs will be implemented in phases, starting in mid-2020 and continuing through July 2021. The global auto market is quickly changing, forcing suppliers to adapt, Bosch said. The layoff will decrease the 1800-worker plant's current staff level by about 20%.
