Department of Defense contractor to expand Charleston operations

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A veteran-owned and service-disabled contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense is expanding in Charleston County.

Defense Engineering Services, a governmental engineering company, will invest $2.5 million in an expansion that will create 45 new jobs, according to a news release from the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

Located at 6920 Weber Blvd., Suite 300 in North Charleston, DES’ new facility will accommodate manufacturing space for large scale projects and add manufacturing capabilities to its prototype and low-rate initial production (LRIP) shop, the release stated.

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The approximately 53,000-square-foot facility will allow the company to continue offering quality solutions guided by technical excellence through mechanical and electrical engineering, research and development, analysis, test support, prototyping and LRIP.

“DES is excited to expand our engineering and prototype manufacturing operations in Charleston County," said Bob Cole and Greg Gordon, managing principals at DES. “Operations have grown year over year for a decade. This growth can be attributed to the business-friendly environment and technically capable workforce of South Carolina and Charleston County.”

DES services the U.S. Department of Defense through vehicle systems integration, automotive design, survivability solutions, reverse engineering and obsolescence issues, while also serving the U.S. Army with medical training systems and innovative armor, the release stated.

Founded in 2013, DES provides engineering and manufacturing services for the aerospace and defense industry. The company works to solve problems on high-performance systems involving mechanical and electrical engineering, testing and evaluation, design and systems engineering, and survivability engineering, according to the release.

The expansion will be complete in May 2023, and operations are already online. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project.

“Charleston County is fortunate to have DES as part of our growing innovative ecosystem,” Charleston County Council Chairman Herbert Ravenel Sass III said in the release. “Our strong workforce and key connections to the defense industry continue to provide the perfect environment for DES to prosper.”