Walmart commits $350 billion to U.S. manufacturing

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Walmart is committing $350 billion to create more than 750,000 manufacturing jobs nationwide in the next 10 years.

President and CEO of Walmart U.S., John Furner, made the announcement at Techtronic Industries last week, according to a company news release.

Walmart has several non-retail facilities across South Carolina. In July, the company announced it would further bolster its holdings in the state with a $220 million investment in a new storage and cross-dock facility in Dorchester County.

The project, which broke ground in December, is anticipated to take 14 months to build and create 1,000 new jobs. Once completed, Walmart Ridgeville Import Distribution Center 7 will support approximately 850 Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs in South Carolina and beyond.

Furner drove home the importance of U.S. manufacturing, which received bipartisan support from federal officials who represent states with Walmart supply centers, the news release said.

“It matters to our suppliers, to entrepreneurs and to the environment. It matters to our customers — more than 85% of which have said it’s important for us to carry products made or assembled in the U.S.,” he said. “And most of all, because of the jobs it brings, it matters to American communities and the people who live in them.”

There are six categories Walmart will prioritize with its investment: textiles, plastics, small electrical appliances, food processing, pharmaceutical and medical supplies, and goods not for resale.

By sourcing work closer to customers, the company said it could reduce as much as 100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Walmart also could increase spending by growing its diverse supplier base.

“I am passionate about bolstering the American supply chain and creating more high-paying jobs in South Carolina and for folks all across the country,” U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., said in a statement. “Congratulations and thank you to Walmart for the great impact you will continue to make on our nation’s economy.”