Bosch, a global manufacturing company with a significant presence in Upstate South Carolina, has put on hold its plans for a $200 million expansion to produce hydrogen fuel cell stacks for big trucks. The planned expansion, which was announced in August 2022, would have created 350 new jobs and was expected to begin production in 2026. However, the company has cited an unstable market as the reason for the delay.
According to a statement released by Bosch, the company will continue to evaluate the investment in fuel cell manufacturing in Anderson, South Carolina, when regional market demand increases. The company believes that hydrogen continues to be a key technology for the path to an electrified future, but has experienced significant changes in the U.S. hydrogen fuel cell mobility market over the past year.
Despite the delay in the expansion plan, the Bosch facility in Anderson will continue to operate and produce other products, including sensors and electronic control units for the powertrain, as part of the Bosch Mobility business sector. The facility, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025, is an important part of the company’s operations in the region.
The news comes as BMW, another major manufacturer in the region, has been recognized as the top auto exporter in the US in 2024, with Spartanburg County playing a significant role in that achievement. Additionally, Isuzu has selected Greenville County for a new $280 million US production base, a development that is expected to bring new jobs and investment to the area.