Siemens cracks open its new S.C. facility

Simogear plant puts company 'Closer to our machine builder customer'

By Bob Vavra, Content Manager, CFE Media May 23, 2013

Doug Keith opened his day on May 21 by helping third graders keep an egg from breaking. His afternoon was spent cracking open Siemens’ newest manufacturing facility.

The president of Siemens’ Drive Technologies Division, Keith was in Maudlin, S.C. to dedicate the 45,000 sq. ft. facility that will manufacture its Simogear gear motor. As part of welcoming Siemens into the community, Keith and other local officials were invited to Science Day at a local elementary school, where students were charged with creating a device that would keep an egg from breaking.

“Maudlin is our newest home and we look to become an active member of the community,” Keith said at the dedication, which featured about 100 Siemens employees, plant employees as well as local and state officials.

“This facility puts us closer to our machine builder customers in the southeastern United States,” Keith said. “Simogear was specifically designed for the U.S. market so it was important that we were close to our customers.”

“It is great to have world-class companies such as Siemens expand its operations in South Carolina. It is companies like this that help promote the economic development in our state and we hope to continue to bring more manufacturing facilities like these to South Carolina,” said South Carolina Deputy Secretary of Commerce George Patrick III.

Patrick read a letter from Gov. Nikki Haley, which noted that Siemens is "Already employing more than 1,100 South Carolinians. This company gives our state so many reasons to smile, and today is no different.”