Officials break ground for new defense manufacturing company in North Charleston

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Elbit Systems of America, a company that helps manufacture products for the United States Department of Defense and Homeland Security, broke ground Wednesday on a new 135,000 square-foot facility in North Charleston

The facility is located on Sightline Drive, right off Palmetto Commerce Parkway. The facility will focus on building ground combat vehicles for the U.S. military and its allies.

Leaders say this new facility could make the Lowcountry a centerpiece for defense manufacturing in the U.S. And representatives with Elbit say North Charleston’s prime location near the port, along with the area’s heavy veteran and military community made this partnership a perfect fit.

“There's an amazing amount of companies in and around Charleston and across South Carolina that we're going to look to help with these large programs. And so, from our perspective, it was really a strategic decision to move to Charleston,” Vice President of Strategy and Growth Scott Baum said.

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The big question many residents are asking: How will this facility impact the Lowcountry?

Charleston County Council officials who said that this is going to be a “Big Deal” for residents in the North Charleston area. This new facility may strengthen Charleston’s involvement in the United States defense manufacturing business.

In addition, the facility is expected to grow North Charleston’s economy by billions of dollars.

Elbit Systems of America is planning to create over 300 jobs in North Charleston, a city where the unemployment has risen by almost 4% since 2019 according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

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The new facility is also supposed to have an economic impact of over $380 million for the Lowcountry, with Elbit investing billions of dollars more into local businesses and manufacturing companies.

Charleston County Council Chairman Teddie Pryor said the relationship will be a win-win for the first of its kind facility in the Lowcountry.

"The faith based community folks, as well as charitable organizations, as well as reaching out to the minority community with training, trying to get them on board -- I think it's a win situation," Pryor said. "But if you look at Charleston County as a whole, we've always had a presence when it comes to the military: You look at the Air Force base, or naval base, naval weapons station. So, I think, you know, they saw it as a good fit, as well as I see it as a good fit."

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Pryor also said similar projects will come to the Lowcountry.

The facility is expected to be up and running by fall of 2022.