Advanced materials manufacturing in South Carolina The building blocks behind what’s next
In South Carolina, advanced materials aren’t a niche. They’re a force multiplier.
Advanced materials industry growth in South Carolina
More than 1,200 companies are shaping the materials that power modern industry here — from high-performance polymers and advanced textiles to composites, optics and photonics. These are the components behind lighter vehicles, stronger infrastructure and smarter technologies. And they’re being designed, tested and produced at scale.
This is where ideas move from lab to line without losing momentum.
Our ecosystem connects innovative research facilities, global manufacturers and a workforce that knows how to turn precision into production. It’s why South Carolina has become a trusted partner to industries that depend on performance, reliability and speed to market.
Here, advanced materials don’t sit on the edge of innovation.
They’re at the center of it — fueling the products, technologies and industries that move the world forward.
Global leaders in advanced materials choose South Carolina
Infrastructure built for precision. Positioned for scale.
Advanced materials companies don’t just need access. They need alignment. South Carolina’s infrastructure is designed to support complex manufacturing at every stage — from raw inputs to global distribution.
Established supply chain
A well-established supply chain connects polymers, chemicals, composites and advanced textiles, allowing companies to move quickly without rebuilding what already exists.
Strategic East Coast location
With direct access to the Port of Charleston — the deepest harbor on the US East Coast — and proximity to 65% of the US population within 1,000 miles, your products are positioned to move efficiently across the country and around the world.
Built for faster growth
With shovel-ready sites, competitive industrial energy costs and a business environment built for speed, you get more than a strategic location. You get a place where operations run smarter from day one.
Skilled for today. Training for what’s next.
Advanced materials demand precision and a workforce that understands it.
South Carolina’s talent pipeline is built to support highly technical manufacturing, from advanced composites and engineered polymers to specialty chemicals and textiles. With one of the highest concentrations of manufacturing employment in the nation, companies tap into a workforce that already knows how to operate in complex, production-driven environments.
Through readySC, companies receive custom, company-specific training designed to meet exact operational needs delivered in partnership with technical colleges and higher education institutions. Whether you’re launching or expanding, your workforce is trained, aligned and ready to perform.
The result: faster ramp-up, stronger retention and a team built for long-term success.
See available sites for advanced materials expansion
From certified industrial parks to shovel-ready properties, South Carolina offers site options across regions and communities statewide. Explore available properties using our interactive map, with filters for size, infrastructure and incentives.
Structured to reward momentum
In South Carolina, investment isn’t just welcomed. It’s accelerated.
The state’s performance-based incentives are designed to support both new operations and expansions, rewarding companies for job creation and capital investment. For advanced materials companies — where scale and efficiency matter — these policies help reduce cost and increase speed to market.
It’s a framework built to support growth without adding friction so you can focus on innovation, production and what comes next.
- No state property tax, inventory tax or wholesale tax
- No sales tax on manufacturing machinery, industrial power or materials for finished products
- Competitive corporate income tax structure with no local income tax
Job tax credit
A statutory tax credit available to qualifying new and expanding companies that create and maintain net new full-time jobs in South Carolina. Credit value varies based on the number of jobs created and the county where they are located.
Research & development equipment sales tax exemption
To support innovation in SC, machinery and equipment purchased for R&D may be eligible for a state and local sales tax exemption.
Investment tax credit
Qualifying manufacturers may receive an income tax credit equal to 0.5% to 2.5% of the cost of eligible manufacturing and productive equipment, depending on the property’s recovery period.
Built here. Grown here. Thriving here.
“Our economic impact in South Carolina is significant and spans more than a century. We created skilled job opportunities, bolstered manufacturing operations in the state and continued to invest at a time when those jobs were leaving for other locations. Milliken employs over 3,200 associates in South Carolina in 16 locations. Milliken’s associates live across 23 different counties in South Carolina. In addition to our associates and plants, we spend over $350 million in South Carolina annually. We understand our responsibility to our communities in operating each of these facilities. Milliken values the opportunity to support South Carolina through both economic investments and community giving.”
Westinghouse expands Richland County operations to advance next-generation nuclear fuel
Approximately $1 billion investment to boost LEU+ fuel production
Cyclic Materials selects Chesterfield County for first East Coast operation
Over $82 million investment will create 90 highly skilled jobsFenner Precision Polymers selects Cherokee County for new South Carolina operation
Approximately $30 million investment will create 51 new jobsInterested in advanced materials in South Carolina?
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Explore opportunities in SC
Connect with our Business Development team to discuss your company’s plans and learn more about South Carolina’s advanced materials opportunities.
