The South Carolina Department of Commerce and the Greenville Area Development Corporation today announced that Saint-Gobain Abrasives will expand its operations at its Greenville County facility. The company is expected to invest $1.4 million as it increases operations at its Travelers Rest site.

“Our plant in Greenville County has been an important part of our company’s overall operations, and we are pleased to expand there. This expansion will help us meet customer demand for our products and better position us in the marketplace. We look forward to moving forward with our plans and appreciate all the support we have received from state and local officials,” said Robert N. Smith, general manager, Industrial Superabrasives North America, Saint-Gobain Abrasives.

Saint-Gobain Abrasives manufactures a range of precision cutting wheels and parts for the aeronautics, metal working and related industries. The Travelers Rest facility, established in 1982, produces superabrasives, industrial diamond and cubic boron nitride (cBN) products used in precision manufacturing in the aerospace, automotive, bearing and other markets.

The company will be consolidating a North Carolina operation to the Travelers Rest facility, adding both equipment and space to the current facility. Saint-Gobain Abrasives will break ground for the new building this month and expects to start adding equipment sometime in July.

“This announcement demonstrates Saint-Gobain Abrasives’ commitment to our state and the expansion of the company’s facility in Travelers Rest brings with it great potential for the future. Our state’s highly-skilled workforce and commitment to maintaining an environment where businesses can prosper are critical, now more than ever, as we work to compete for capital, jobs and economic growth,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce. “This announcement is the culmination of the effort of a dedicated team of economic development professionals from the city, county and the state all working together. We appreciate Saint-Gobain Abrasives’ investment here and look forward to the company’s growth in South Carolina.”

“Saint-Gobain Abrasives’ decision to invest in Greenville County is again the result of a true team effort,” added Jo Hackl, chairwoman of the Greenville Area Development Corporation, noting that a Carolina Investment Fund grant from Duke Energy was also instrumental in landing the expansion. “The company is a long-standing, high-quality corporate citizen of this community, and their growth in Travelers Rest will enhance this community while affirming that advanced manufacturing can indeed thrive in our state.”

“The City of Travelers Rest is pleased that Saint-Gobain recognizes the advantages that Travelers Rest offers their company,” said Dianna Turner, City Administrator. “As an innovative global manufacturer, this company is a valued member of our growing and progressive community. We look forward to their continued success here.”

The company also operates a manufacturing facility in North Charleston, has a joint venture in Fountain Inn and distribution offices in Conway, Hanahan and West Columbia.

Saint-Gobain Abrasives is the world leader in the abrasives industry. The company manufactures and markets bonded, coated, superabrasives and thin wheels. Saint-Gobain Abrasives has manufacturing capabilities in 39 countries. Saint-Gobain Abrasives is part of Saint-Gobain, the world's largest supplier of building materials, and is a leader in the production of high-performance materials and glass containers. The company’s mission is to be a world leader in offering innovative solutions to today’s critical challenges of growth, energy-efficient building and protecting the environment.

Founded in 1665 and headquartered in Paris, Saint-Gobain had worldwide sales of $53 billion in 2009 and 190,000 employees. In the United States and Canada, Saint-Gobain employs approximately 19,000 people, and had sales of $6.8 billion in 2009. In 2009 and 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency named Saint-Gobain ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year, a national award that recognizes environmentally responsible corporations.