Thermo King sets up shop in Greenville

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Trane Technologies is no stranger to South Carolina.

The company operates a supply and contractor base on Fairforest Way in Greenville and manufacturing facility in Columbia that employs more than 1,200 people, but another arm of the Dublin-headquartered manufacturer seeks to capitalize on their success in the region.

Trane’s cold chain brand Thermo King will invest $30 million in a 300,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Willimon Industrial Park, located at 1500 Perimeter Road and situated just south of the S.C. Technology & Aviation Center, according to a news release.

“We are proud to expand our Thermo King operations to Greenville County, and we are grateful to the state of South Carolina for its partnership,” Thermo King Americas President Karin De Bondt said in the news release. “It’s an exciting time for our business, and we are happy to be joining such a supportive community rich with talent.”

The new facility is expected to create 220 jobs in Greenville County, the release said.

“South Carolina’s advanced manufacturing industry has put our state on the map, and this latest expansion by industry leaders like Trane Technologies’ Thermo King is a testament to our success,” Commerce Secretary Harry M. Lightsey III said in the release. “I congratulate this great company on their continued investment and look forward to seeing the difference these new jobs make in the Greenville County community.”

Thermo King invented transport refrigeration in 1938, according to the release. Today, the company designs and manufacturers climate-controlled products that are used to transport food and medicine to global markets.

“The decision by Trane Technologies’ Thermo King to launch manufacturing and distribution operations in Greenville County is a testament to our talented workforce and strong business-friendly approach,” Greenville County Council Chairman Willis Meadows said in the release. “It reinforces our region's leadership role in the global transportation arena and adds another global brand to our corporate community."

Thermo King will begin hiring immediately for key management roles in areas such as production, human resources, information technology and manufacturing engineering. Job fairs and employee training events will take place this summer, and the site is expected to be operational by mid-2023, the release said.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project. The council also awarded Greenville County a $400,000 Set-Aside grant to assist with site preparation and building improvements.