December 19, 2018

By Jamie DeMent

2018 was another successful year for Charleston’s booming economy. The metro region has been strong in landing foreign investment, attracting venture capital, building more workforce training opportunities, and developing a robust Global Fluency initiative.

2018 Top 10 Headlines:

• London Direct Flight – British Airways will launch two nonstop routes from Charleston to London, starting April 4 2019, expanding the region’s connectivity with now 30+ direct flights to 26+ cities (growing by 40% in less than five years.)
• DeepBD, a developer and operator of artificial intelligence platforms, announced new operations in Charleston County, adding $1.6 million investment and 30 new jobs to the region.
• W International, a full-service manufacturer of large, complex welded metal fabrications, announced plans to locate production operations in Berkeley County. The company’s $35.2 million capital investment is projected to create more than 600 new jobs.
• Nanobébé – Nanobébé announced Charleston for its U.S. headquarters in 2018. The company’s R&D and manufacturing is based in Tel Aviv, Israel, while the U.S. operation will focus on sales, business development and growth. And landed the cover of TIME Magazine as one of the “Best Inventions of 2018.”
• Mercedes-Benz Vans (MBV) opened its new $500M manufacturing plant in September, announcing that Amazon is purchasing 20,000 new Sprinter Vans made in Charleston. Volvo Cars opened its new assembly plant and rolled out its first S60, its first car built in North America.
• The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), announces a 10-year innovative partnership with Siemens Healthineers, the first of its kind for both partners.
• Google announced a $600M expansion of its data center facility in Berkeley County with additional new jobs and bringing its total investment to $2.4B.
• Global Fluency Initiative: Attracting and supporting foreign direct investment is a key element in maintaining the Charleston region’s competitiveness and sustainability. Globally fluent markets understand and appreciate their connections to the global economy and work together to ensure that all benefit from those connections. CRDA has launched a Global Fluency Initiative focused on developing resources to support our international residents and building awareness of Charleston’s diversity. One such new resource is the Charleston Community Guide, which provides newcomers a one-stop overview for settling into the region.
• ManuFirst SC Grant Program launches, offering free lean manufacturing training in the three-county region through Trident Technical College.
• Sundaram-Clayton Limited, a leading Indian manufacturer and supplier of aluminum cast products, announced an expansion of its Dorchester County operations. Investing $40 million and creating an additional 100 new jobs.

To stay up-to-date on announcements in the Charleston region, check out the Charleston Regional Development Alliance’s news page and social media channels.

Wishing you all Happy Holidays, and a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year!

Contact Us:

Jamie DeMent | Marketing Services Manager
843.760.4522 | [email protected]