Automotive supplier Plastic Omnium is investing $17.7 million to expand its operations in Anderson, S.C., to produce bumpers and tailgates for General Motors Co.' new Lyriq electric vehicle.
The expansion is expected to be complete in February 2022 and create 76 new jobs in the area, an Oct. 6 news release said.
The investment includes new equipment and upgrades to existing injection molding machines and paint lines, the release said.
The announcement is a reversal from a plan announced in 2019 to consolidate Plastic Omnium production at its Greer, S.C., facility. At that time, the Anderson employees were told in February that the plant would close by mid-2019. It is not clear when those plans changed.
The company did not immediately respond to request for comment by Plastics News.
France-based Cie. Plastic Omnium SA, which makes interior modules such as instrument panels and center consoles, and exterior systems like front end modules, has more than 31,000 employees and operates in 25 countries with 131 factories and 25 research and development centers.
The company's Plastic Omnium Auto Exteriors LLC unit is based in Troy, Mich., and has estimated injection molding sales of $400 million, according to Plastics News estimates.