230,000 sq. ft. Manufacturing Facility Breaks Ground in South Carolina

Magna Seating begins construction on facility to employ nearly 500, manufacturing seats for BMW.

Illustration of Magna’s new BMW seat manufacturing facility in South Carolina, set to be operational in June 2017. (Image courtesy of Magna International Inc.)

Illustration of Magna’s new BMW seat manufacturing facility in South Carolina, set to be operational in June 2017. (Image courtesy of Magna International Inc.)

Automotive supplier Magna International Inc. recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a 230,000 sq. ft. facility, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. The new facility will supply seats to the BMW Group.

BMW Group recently awarded Magna with multiple new seating programs, which the facility will meet with dedicated assembly and sequencing lines to manufacture automotive seating for several BMW models. The seats will supply the BMW Group’s nearby assembly plant, also located in Spartanburg County.

Magna is expecting to invest USD$29 million in the facility, which is expected to be operational in June 2017 and could employ up to 480 people by 2020. The seating plant complements three other Magna manufacturing facilities in South Carolina, which collectively employ approximately 1,450 people. 

“I congratulate Magna on this tremendous new investment in Spartanburg County,” said Bobby Hitt, South Carolina’s secretary of commerce. “It’s exciting to see South Carolina’s automotive sector continue to thrive and it means that our pro-business strategy is paying dividends.”

Magna is also excited about the new facility and the expanded relationship with BMW.

“This is a new chapter in the ongoing collaboration between Magna and the BMW Group, as it’s our first seating business award with this valued global customer,” said Mike Bisson, president of Magna Seating. “With this investment and job creation we are extremely pleased to join the growing automotive industry in South Carolina.”

Headquartered in Ontario, Canada, Magna International’s product capabilities also include body, chassis, exterior, seating, powertrain, electronics, active driver assistance, vision, closure and roof systems.

What might car seats of the future look like? Read Next-Gen Car Seats Could Monitor Pulse, Brain Activity to find out.

Written by

Michael Alba

Michael is a senior editor at engineering.com. He covers computer hardware, design software, electronics, and more. Michael holds a degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Alberta.