Swiss company to open Rock Hill plant, add 101 jobs

A Swiss company that specializes in products that make other products move well is setting up shop in Rock Hill with a $3.2 million investment and plans to create 101 jobs over the next five years.

Schneeberger, which designs and manufactures linear technology for customers around the world, will establish the company’s first South Carolina operation in York County, according to a news release from the Commerce Department. The company makes customized and high-precision linear technology including linear bearings, gear racks and mineral casting used in industrial applications.

The products are found in the machine tool industry, medical technology and automation, according to the company website.

“We are thrilled to announce that for the first time, our company will establish mineral cast manufacturing operations in the United States — in Rock Hill,” Schneeberger Mineralcast President and General Manager George Blaha said in the news release. “This decision reflects our confidence in the region’s exceptional workforce, robust technical training infrastructure and the area’s growing population, which together create a dynamic environment for innovation and growth.”

Operations are expected to be online by the end of the year, the release stated.

“Rock Hill’s outstanding quality of life and welcoming community make it an ideal location for our growing business,” Blaha said in the release. “We are especially excited to bring our sustainable, cold-casting manufacturing technology to the U.S., where we will produce high-performance equipment bases that serve a wide range of industries. This marks a significant milestone for our company, and we look forward to building strong partnerships and a bright future in South Carolina.”

Schneeberger will lease a 42,000-square-foot facility at 656 Red River Road in Rock Hill to serve its growing customer base in the electronics, medical device and packaging industries. The new operation will be the company’s first U.S.-based mineral cast production facility, the release said.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Schneeberger to Rock Hill. As a family-owned and operated company, Schneeberger has built their success on innovation, reliability and lasting partnerships,” Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys said in the release. “We look forward to the company’s continued success and growth. The people of Rock Hill continue to profit from strong manufacturing employers and corresponding positive impact on wages.”

The company will post job openings on its careers page.

“We welcome Schneeberger to York County and thank them for choosing our community for their first South Carolina operation,” York County Council Chairwoman Christi Cox said in the release. “Their decision to bring quality jobs here reflects the kind of thoughtful growth that York County values.”

The Commerce Department’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project.

“Schneeberger’s investment in York County will add to South Carolina’s impressive manufacturing industry while creating meaningful opportunities for our people,” Commerce Secretary Harry M. Lightsey III said in the release. “We are grateful the company selected South Carolina for its newest operation and look forward to supporting its growth in our state.”
Schneeberger was founded in Switzerland in 1923. The company has operations on all six developed continents, including eight other sites in the United States.