Scout Motors Suppliers Invest Over $82M In South Carolina, Creating 200 Jobs

Scout Motors announced on October 14, 2026, that seven automotive suppliers in South Carolina’s Upstate region will invest more than $82 million and create 200 new jobs to support production of Scout vehicles. The expansions span Spartanburg, Duncan, and Piedmont, strengthening the state’s automotive manufacturing supply chain.

“Building Scout vehicles in South Carolina means building more of our supply chain here, too,” said Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Scout Motors. He said the investments will help reshore American manufacturing, create jobs, and establish domestic production capabilities for decades to come.

The seven suppliers will manufacture components for the Scout Traveler SUV and Scout Terra pickup truck, which will be assembled at Scout Motors’ Production Center in Blythewood, South Carolina.

Spartanburg Steel will invest $40 million and create 60 jobs in Spartanburg to manufacture stamping components. Magna DRIVE will invest $15 million and add 30 jobs in Piedmont to produce Class A stampings and Class B assemblies. KV Final plans to invest $14 million and create 50 jobs in Spartanburg to manufacture stamping components.

Röchling Automotive will invest $5 million and create 15 jobs in Duncan to produce active grille shutters and wheel-arch liners. Magna Mirrors will invest $5 million and add 15 jobs in Spartanburg to manufacture exterior mirrors. Cooper Standard will invest $3 million and create 15 jobs in Spartanburg to produce glass sealing systems. Bant Boru will invest $270,000 and add 15 jobs in Duncan to manufacture brake lines.

Scout Motors selected South Carolina in March 2023 for its $2 billion Production Center, one of the largest economic development projects in the state’s history. The new supplier investments extend the project’s benefits beyond Blythewood and into the Upstate.

The announcement follows a separate plan revealed last year for the Sodecia Aapico joint venture to invest $120 million and create up to 392 jobs at a 400,000-square-foot facility in Orangeburg County. That plant will manufacture ladder frames for Scout vehicles.

Originally produced by International Harvester from 1961 to 1980, the Scout became known for its rugged utility vehicles. Scout Motors is reviving the brand with a new lineup of trucks and SUVs. The company began building initial validation vehicles in Blythewood in 2026, with production development continuing into 2027 and customer deliveries expected to begin in 2028.

EVinfo.net’s Take: Scout Motors Shows How EVs Create American Jobs And Economic Growth

Scout Motors’ expanding South Carolina supply chain demonstrates how electric vehicle manufacturing creates American jobs, attracts investment, and strengthens domestic industry. This is how domestic EV manufacturing can generate opportunities for local businesses and workers while strengthening America’s industrial base.

The United States needs more projects like Scout Motors, not bad federal policies that discourage EV adoption, increase driver costs, cause more pollution, create growing health risks and undermine investment in electrification. As global competitors expand their EV industries, America risks losing manufacturing jobs, supply-chain capacity, and future economic growth if it falls behind.

Supporting EV production, battery manufacturing, charging infrastructure, and domestic suppliers is an investment in American jobs, energy security, and long-term competitiveness. Policymakers should remove barriers to EV adoption and help ensure that more of the economic benefits of the global transportation transition are created in the United States.