Volvo Bringing Jobs, Training & Advanced New Models to Nearby Campus

April 25th, 2018

Well on its way to becoming one of the area’s top employers, Volvo Cars is preparing to debut its newly re-designed S60 sedan and officially begin production this summer at its brand new manufacturing plant just up the road in Ridgeville. Located just 15 miles from Carnes Crossroads, the Volvo campus will initially employ 1,500 people but that number will increase as the automaker advances new training programs and adds a second car to its South Carolina production line.

Last fall, Volvo announced it would more than double the number of employees originally planned for the campus and increase its total investment to just over $1 billion to accommodate an additional production line for the XC90 SUV, the company’s top-selling U.S. model. The new S.C.-built XC90 is expected to debut in 2021, and will increase total employment at the plant to 4,000 people.

Although production of the S60 and XC90 has not yet begun, Volvo’s presence can already be felt in Charleston.

The company is giving back in a significant way by financially supporting initiatives that focus on education, the environment, safety and quality of life in our communities.

It also recently announced plans to establish “Volvo University,” a Charleston area instruction center that will provide advanced training for mechanics nationwide to teach them how to repair the technologies that run the automaker’s innovative new models.

The 1,600-acre Volvo campus in Ridgeville is the company’s only North American manufacturing site. Once both production lines are fully operational, 150,000 cars will roll off the property per year. Half will be exported from the Port of Charleston to markets around the world. The rest will be sold domestically, and many will be transported by train to markets across the country.

Volvo is a wonderful addition to our growing region. We look forward to seeing the first cars roll off the production line this summer!