South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster will travel to Germany next week to strengthen business relationships that have been crucial to the state’s economic success in recent decades.
McMaster has been invited to speak at the TDI conference, also known as the Day of German Industry. He will address South Carolina’s partnerships with German companies and participate in a panel discussion, according to South Carolina Commerce Secretary Harry Lightsey.
“South Carolina led the way in reaching out to companies worldwide and encouraging them to establish operations here,” Lightsey noted. “This initiative has been fundamental to South Carolina’s growth.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, South Carolina ranks second in the U.S. for the number of foreign companies operating within its borders, adjusted for population, trailing only Delaware.
German companies have the largest foreign presence in South Carolina, with 262 facilities employing approximately 44,000 people—about 2% of the state’s workforce.
Dan McLean points to where Summit Carbon Solution (Via Benjamin Walsh/Shutterstock)
During his five-day visit, McMaster plans to visit the headquarters of two major automakers with significant investments in South Carolina. In Munich, he will meet with BMW executives. BMW’s Greer plant, established in 1994 and now employing over 11,000 workers, has been a cornerstone in attracting other foreign automakers to the Southern U.S.
Another key visit will be to Wolfsburg, where McMaster will tour Volkswagen’s headquarters. Volkswagen is the parent company of Scout Motors, which is set to open a plant near Columbia in 2027, producing electric SUVs and potentially employing up to 4,000 people.
“The CEOs of major companies want to engage directly with Governor McMaster, who represents our state,” the Commerce Department emphasized in a statement.
McMaster also intends to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the country’s finance minister during his visit, according to Lightsey.
