According to the 2007 South Carolina Manufacturers' Register, South Carolina lost 7,085 manufacturing jobs and 60 plants since September 2005, continuing the downward trend since 2001. Since 2001, the state has lost 53,000 manufacturing jobs at a rate of 3.5 percent per year.
“Many South Carolina companies, historically in the textile industries and more recently in the automotive industries, are finding much better deals in China and India,” said Tom Dubin, President of Manufacturers’ News, Inc (MNI), the directory's publisher. “However, this year’s comparatively smaller loss of 2 percent may signify better days ahead for the Palmetto State.”
This year, South Carolina has 5,796 manufacturing companies that employ 316,437 workers, down from 5,856 plants with 323,522 employees last year.
Greenville is the top manufacturing city in the state with 458 plants with 26,659 jobs. Columbia is second with 296 plants and 26,659 jobs. By employment, the top industries are motor vehicle parts and accessories with 15,937 jobs and plastic products with 14,047 jobs.