Koyo marks four decades in Orangeburg

A celebratory atmosphere filled the campus of Orangeburg’s Koyo Bearing North America plant as employees and their families celebrated the company’s 40th anniversary in December 2015.

The Japanese-based company opened in 1975 at 2850 Magnolia St. The Orangeburg plant is a Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier of bearings for Toyota, Ford, Honda, General Motors and John Deere.

Koyo Bearing North America’s plant manager Barry Beyer said the 40 years in Orangeburg can be credited to employees.

“We have really good people to work with and we are trying to invest more in our people going forward,” Beyer said. “Part of the 40th anniversary celebration was to kick off and to renew how important our people are to us.”

Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said JTEKT’s Koyo plant is “a perfect example” of an international company finding success in rural South Carolina.

“It has been widely successful,” Robinson said, adding the number of expansions the company has had in recent years. “They have continued machinery and continued industrial improvements. There is capital investment every year.”

“We are elated they are here and we want to continue to partner with them forever,” he said. “Happy anniversary!”

The event, which drew an estimated 900 people, had popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, hot dogs and hamburgers, as well as a disc jockey and door prizes.

Recent actions indicate Koyo has no intention of leaving the Orangeburg area.

In 2015, the company announced it was investing $10 million in an equipment overhaul over five years while maintaining its 500-member workforce.

In 2009, Koyo also announced it would invest $10 million to preserve its existing investment.

At the time, Orangeburg County approved a 6 percent assessment ratio for a period of 20 years for the plant. Manufacturing plants are typically taxed at a 10.5 percent ratio.

In 2006, Koyo Seiko Co. and Toyota Machine Works merged to form JTEKT Corp.

As a subsidiary of JTEKT North American Corp., Koyo operates 13 manufacturing sites in North America.

Source: The T&D