Automobile Industry: Billion-dollar BMW expansion drives commerce in South Carolina – by Tyrone Richardson

The electric BMW i3

BMW has been dubbed a major economic engine for South Carolina, ushering in dozens of new manufacturers and bolstering the amount of cargo flowing through the Port of Charleston.

And now the German luxury carmaker has plans to expand production and create 800 more jobs at its Spartanburg County campus by adding the new X7 crossover model to its lineup of South Carolina-made vehicles, a plan that will likely do even more for the state.

"BMW is a big creator," said Doug Woodward, research economist at the University's South Carolina's Moore School of Business. "In addition to the jobs it creates, the company contributes to our tax base, and if you look at the Upstate, it has meant major growth in education too."

Woodward is writing a detailed report that will analyze how BMW impacts South Carolina; he expects it to be released later this year.

A recently updated fact sheet by the Moore School of Business said BMW Group has a $16.6 billion annual impact on the state economy, supporting more than 30,000 jobs throughout the state.

The document also concluded that with every job created at the BMW plant, an additional three jobs are created elsewhere in South Carolina through the economic multiplier effect.

The Munich-based company opened its campus in Greer 20 years ago this fall.

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