Isuzu North America in February picked Greenville County, South Carolina, as its home for U.S. production—a $280 million investment that will create more than 700 new jobs. The company on Wednesday hosted local officials and global dignitaries for an honorary groundbreaking.
Isuzu entered the North American truck market in 1984 and has become one of the largest retailers of medium-duty work trucks.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by numerous dignitaries, including South Carolina Governor, Henry McMaster, Isuzu Motors Limited Chairman, Representative Director and CEO, Masanori Katayama, and the Japanese Ambassador to the United States, Shigeo Yamada.
Noboru Murakami, Isuzu North America Corporation's Executive Officer, Chairman, and CEO, noted that the roots his company was putting down in the Palmetto State were “the start of a partnership with the community.”
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster echoed those remarks, calling the state's partnership with Isuzu "the beginning of something great."
"The southeast of this country is just booming," he added. "The future is wide open in this part of the country."
Greenville County already has a large automotive production base that includes Michelin, BMW, and ZF. While working closely with state and county officials in its selection of the site, Murakami noted that the existing automotive suppliers in the area were appealing to Isuzu. South Carolina is also home to 16 technical colleges, which McMaster pointed out consistently churn out the workforce that supports the state's manufacturing base.
Sitting on more than 200 acres, the 1,000,000-square-foot facility will consolidate production, vehicle preparation, and logistics operations.
Sitting on more than 200 acres in Piedmont, the 1,000,000-square-foot facility will consolidate production, vehicle preparation, and logistics operations under one roof, enhancing efficiency and supporting Isuzu's North American growth plans. It will soon replace Isuzu's assembly work that currently takes place in Charlotte, Michigan. Employees at the Michigan facilities have been given the opportunity to relocate about 700 miles south. Initial production is expected to begin in 2027, with further expansion in 2028.
Shaun Skinner, president and chief executive officer at Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, noted that while its Michigan operations have worked well for the company, bringing all manufacturing under one roof will make assembly more efficient.
The Piedmont assembly line will feature a variable-model, variable-volume production line that will assemble internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles. Skinner said the South Carolina plant will be Isuzu's most technologically advanced production facility in the world.
The plant will produce the company’s N-Series Gas, N-Series Electric and F-Series diesel trucks, and will have a production capacity of 50,000 units annually by the end of this decade.
The plant is located close to the Interstate 85 corridor, connecting Greenville to Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C., and to I-26, which connects to the Port of Charleston, the deepest port on the eastern seaboard. Isuzu Chairman Masanori Katayama said settled on the Greenville-area due partly to its strategic location that he said will be vital in helping get trucks to dealers and customers more quickly.
"With the port and rail access, the logistics are very attractive for us," he said.
"Now, we bring stuff into the West Coast, and it has to be railed across the U.S.," Skinner added. "The thing that we'll have here is the Port of Charleston... There is a lot of rail set up, so it does reduce complexities."
Shigeo Yamada, Japanese Ambassador to the United States, noted that more than 200 Japanese businesses have invested $9.2 billion in South Carolina. Japan has been the largest direct investor in the U.S. for the last six years.
"South Carolinians and the Japanese share a common desire to make others feel welcome," Yamada added, "whether over a cup of sweet tea or a cup of green tea."
The timing of Wednesday's groundbreaking against a backdrop of sweeping tariffs on imports, Skinner noted, was coincidental. Katayama added that his company began its search for a new U.S. assembly site more than two years ago.
As part of Wednesday's celebration, Governor McMaster presented Chairman Katayama with the South Carolina Honorary Sandlapper Award, a state award that recognizes non-residents who have made significant contributions to the state or its citizens.
