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Ever since the BMW’s Spartanburg plant in South Carolina opened in 1999, it became vital for the U.S. economy. On its 25th anniversary, the Spartanburg plant employs nearly 9,000 people.
But we can’t help but wonder why BMW chose South Carolina as a location for the plant in the first place. Harald Krueger, BMW CEO, shared some of the reasons. First of all, there are more than 60 universities and colleges in Spartanburg area, most of which feature technical programs and provide the future employees for the BMW plant. The political climate in the SC was on the same page with the BMW’s policy to recruit local talent.
Second, the proximity of the port of Charleston had a major role. BMW ships their cars from this port and it was a good move to have a plant near the port. 86 percent of the BMW X cars produced in Spartanburg end up exported through Charleston.
The third most important reason is actually the famous Southern hospitality. The state has helped BMW save a lot in taxes and provided other benefits for the German automotive giant.
