BMW, Mercedes supplier prepares for Volvo line

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Canadian intelligent mirror manufacturer Magna International opened the doors to its sixth Palmetto State site today: a new 170,000-square-foot facility in Duncan. 

The facility, roughly the same size as the company’s former Greer location, produces exterior mirror systems for BMW, Mercedes and soon, Volvo, according to a news release. 

Production has started with roughly 255 employees but is expected to grow to approximately 400 jobs over the next few years. 

“The launch of this facility shows our commitment to providing our employees with modern amenities and our customers with world class manufacturing,” John O’Hara, president of Magna Mechatronics, Mirrors and Lighting, said in the release. "With our highly qualified workforce, we are dedicated to supplying feature-rich exterior mirror systems to our global customers.” 

The plant’s current production volume is approximately 1.6 million mirrors per year and will add the launch of the Exfinity mirror to be used by Volvo to its production portfolio by early 2023. The mirror will be a first-to-market technology in North America, according to the release. 

“Magna continues to grow their footprint in South Carolina, and today’s grand opening of their newest facility is further proof that South Carolina is an ideal location for companies to find sustained success,” Gov. Henry McMaster said in the release. “Magna is an exemplary partner to our state and our workforce, and we congratulate them on this new state-of-the-art operation.” 

Sustainability was a key focus when designing the facility, according to the company. Energy optimization and control systems were implemented to minimize overall consumption and help reduce carbon footprint. The facility also features several employee-centric amenities including a wellness room, fitness center, canteen with adjacent patio and gaming area, vegetable garden and a solar-lit walking trail. A dedicated truck entrance also exists for increased safety, and clerestory windows to maximize natural light in the work environment.