Texas military vehicle manufacturer opens North Charleston facility

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A manufacturer of large vehicles for the United States military has opened a facility in North Charleston.

With a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, facility tours and the roll-out of a large military vehicle, Elbit Systems of America (Elbit America) recently celebrated its newest facility in North Charleston, with employees, customers, and partners.

Located at Crosspoint at Palmetto Commerce Park, the manufacturing facility aims to employ hundreds of people and assemble large vehicular systems for the United States military and allied nations, according to an Elbit Systems news release. The facility initially will manufacture Mission Command Platforms for the U.S. Army's Command Post Integrated Infrastructure (CPI2) Program and the Sigma mobile cannon artillery system for the Israel Defense Forces, the release stated.

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“Opening our new, digitally-enabled North Charleston facility is the realization of our company’s wish to continue expanding and investing throughout the country. South Carolina provides the right mix of a talented local workforce, supportive government partners, and suppliers ready to help us provide innovative solutions to the Warfighter,” said Elbit America president and CEO Raanan Horowitz in the release. “There’s much work to do to, but I’m confident in this facility, and in our workforce. Elbit America is proud to be in South Carolina.”

The financial investment in the project was not disclosed.

The facility has taken roughly two years to construct, while recruitment for site leadership and assemblers has been underway for nearly a year, the release stated. New recruits say they are attracted by the benefits the new facility offers — a brand new, climate-controlled environment, state-of-the-art equipment, the company’s flexible schedule, and Elbit America’s enduring mission to support the nation’s military and allies. Nearly half of the facility’s existing workforce are veterans.

“What you see today is agile manufacturing that is expanding critically needed capacity, and all of this is due to a resilient network of local suppliers,” said Scott Baum, vice president of strategy and growth for Elbit America, in the release.

Since before construction began at the company’s new site, it was predicted the facility would spur hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact to the state, adding to the nation’s industrial base, the release stated.

“As Elbit Systems of America opens its new facility in North Charleston, we are thrilled to welcome this important addition to our community,” North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said in the release. “This represents a milestone in our ongoing efforts to attract and retain innovative companies that will help drive economic growth and create high-quality jobs for our residents. We look forward to building a strong and lasting relationship with Elbit America and to the many positive contributions they will undoubtedly make to our city's future.”

Elbit Systems of America is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The company employs 3,500 individuals across various sites in the country. In 2023, the company celebrates its 30th anniversary.