Tag: buyinghome

A few days back I wrote about the Scout Motors plant going up in Blythewood and what it could mean for the Midlands. Scout promised that the plant would bring more than its own jobs: suppliers would follow. On October 28, the first of those promises got a name.

Brose Sitech, a car seat manufacturer, announced it will build its first U.S. manufacturing plant right on the Scout Motors campus in Richland County. Here’s what we know, straight from the sources.

What’s coming

According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Brose Sitech will invest $29.5 million and create 330 new jobs. The 140,000-square-foot facility will sit in the Scout Supplier Park in Blythewood and supply the Scout plant with complete car seat sets. Operations are expected to be online in 2027.

Brose Sitech’s own announcement says the Blythewood plant will build complete seating systems for the Scout Traveler SUV and the Scout Terra pickup, delivered “just in time” to the vehicle plant next door. Industry coverage from Automotive World notes that Brose Sitech is a joint venture between the German supplier Brose and Volkswagen Group, which owns Scout. The company is headquartered in Poland, has 22 locations worldwide, and runs its regional office in Detroit.

Scout Motors President and CEO Scott Keogh put it this way: “When we announced we would build an on-site Supplier Park at the Scout Motors Production Center last year, we promised it would lead to even more jobs, investment and economic prosperity in South Carolina. This announcement represents the beginning of that promise being fulfilled.”

Why I’m paying attention

I help folks buy homes all over the Midlands, in Columbia, Lexington, Irmo, Chapin, Blythewood, and beyond. When 330 new jobs land in one spot, those are 330 households that may be looking for a place to live, and many of them will be looking close to work. Blythewood, Northeast Columbia, Winnsboro, and the I-77 corridor are the obvious spots, but the ripple can reach across the whole region.

And this is just one supplier. Scout Motors announced the Supplier Park as an additional $300 million investment in its September 18, 2025 press release. Brose Sitech is one of the first suppliers to name the park as its home, and I’ll keep watching who comes next.

What it means if you’re thinking about buying

If you’re relocating for one of these jobs, or you already live here and expect more neighbors and more competition for homes, the best move is the same one I always recommend: get your financing lined up before you shop. Knowing what you qualify for lets you move with confidence when the right house shows up.

If you’re new to the area, or a veteran using your VA benefit, I’m happy to walk you through every step and shoot it straight. Give me a call at (803) 392-6044.

Sources: South Carolina Department of Commerce (https://www.sccommerce.com/newsroom/brose-sitech-selects-richland-county-first-us-manufacturing-facility); Office of Gov. Henry McMaster (https://governor.sc.gov/news/2026-10/brose-sitech-selects-richland-county-first-us-manufacturing-facility); Brose Sitech (https://www.brose-sitech.com/en/Media/News/2026-10-28-Brose-Sitech-establishes-US-footprint-with-new-manufacturing-location-in-Blythewood–South-Carolina~n312); The Post and Courier (https://www.postandcourier.com/columbia/business/brose-sitech-scout-motors-blythewood-factory-jobs-columbia/article_89192577-f563-4ea8-b388-7481c6a61fed.html); Automotive World (https://www.automotiveworld.com/news/brose-sitech-picks-south-carolina-for-first-us-seat-plant/); Scout Motors, Sept. 18, 2025 press release (https://www.scoutmotors.com/newsroom/scout-motors-makes-additional-usd300-million-investment-in-south-carolina-to).