Bosch to expand Anderson operations with purchase of former AFCO plant
One year after announcing a $152 million expansion, Bosch said Friday it plans to pump an additional $45 million into its Anderson operations.
The German-based supplier of various automotive electronics said it plans to purchase the former plant Associated Fuel Pump Systems Corp. (AFCO) plant adjacent to its campus on State 81 North. The move will expand Bosch's campus and production capabilities.
Bosch is the second-largest manufacturing employer in Anderson County.
Friday's announcement did not indicate an expansion of workforce, which is currently about 1,200. Bosch said the purchase "will include new manufacturing capabilities to support" the portfolio of its Mobility Solutions division.
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The Anderson plant opened in 1985 to produce fuel rails and has since added production capabilities from other divisions— including powertrain solutions, automotive electronics, and car multimedia. Other products made at the plant include oxygen sensors, integrated fuel modules and transmission control modules.
A $100,000 Set Aside grant was awarded to Anderson County to assist with the costs of the site preparation and building construction.
Bosch paid $1,674,863 to Anderson County in fees and property taxes last year.
AFCO, established in 1989 as a joint venture between Bosch and Denso, began making fuel pumps and fuel pump modules in 1991 at the plant adjacent to the Bosch campus. Bosch and Denso, which is based in Japan, decided in 2016 to dissolve the joint venture and gradually downsized its workforce over two years.
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Bosch employs 402,000 associates worldwide, including 33,000 in the U.S. and about 4,000 in South Carolina.
Bosch in North America President Mike Mansuetti called the decision "another milestone in our relationship with Anderson County and the state of South Carolina."
"We have a rich history in South Carolina, and this expansion helps us to further serve our North American customers from the strong base we’ve built in the state," Mansuetti said in a statement.
Gov. Henry McMaster called Bosch "a company that has played an integral role in the growth of South Carolina’s economy. I look forward to seeing this partnership continue to flourish in the years ahead.”
Anderson County Councilman Tom Allen said in a statement he is "delighted to have Bosch as a corporate neighbor in the community.”
South Carolina ranks No. 1 nationally in attracting jobs through foreign investment on a per capita basis.
The purchase of the AFCO plant comes one year after Bosch announced a $152 million expansion and the addition of 130 jobs.
That expansion included the growth of several product lines related to automotive electronic components. The hiring process for those jobs is scheduled to continue through July 2019.
According to county officials, those jobs offer an average salary of $24.44 an hour in addition to health benefits.
Bosch also employs 750 at a facility in Fountain Inn, and another 1,900 at its plant in Charleston.
For information on job availability, visit www.bosch.us/careers.
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