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Engineering Materials in Upstate South Carolina
Advanced manufacturing relies on engineered materials, and Upstate South Carolina is increasingly becoming a key global supplier of these essential components. From composites and plastics to technical textiles, optics, metals, chemicals, and ceramics, the region is a hub for advanced materials.
With a foundation built on world-class research facilities, highly skilled graduates, and a specialized workforce, Upstate South Carolina supports the development of next-generation manufacturing technologies.
A Global Hub for in Engineered Materials
Upstate South Carolina’s reputation for engineered materials research and manufacturing is built on a rich history and a thriving industry cluster. The region is home to over 1,038 businesses and 40,487 employees in this sector—76% higher than the national average.
Companies in the Upstate are solving industry challenges by producing materials for cutting-edge applications, including Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner and BMW’s X models. From surfboards to circuit boards, advanced materials from South Carolina are shaping innovations across industries.
Plastics
The Upstate is home to the largest concentration of plastics companies in South Carolina, with over 145 businesses employing more than 9,000 people. With easy access to materials and markets, the region has become a prime location for plastics manufacturing.
Featured Companies: Dispoz-O-Products, Mitsubishi Polyester Film, Sealed Air Corporation-Cryovac, Sterilite, VPet USA
Optics & Photonics
More than 300 optics and photonics facilities serve the Carolinas, with applications spanning automotive, telecommunications, biosciences, defense, and consumer products.
Clemson’s Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies (COMSET), provides support for developing advanced materials, devices and systems that generate, transmit, manipulate and utilize light.
COMSET conducts an important blend of “what-if” basic science and more applied research with immediate deliverables in wide-ranging areas including organic LEDs, specialty optical fiber, light-emitting plastics, glasses and crystals. COMSET operates an Optical Fiber Laboratory, which is the only academic facility in the United States with industry-grade capabilities for fabricating optical fiber.
Featured companies: AFL Telecommunications, Ceramtec, Fibersource, OpTek Systems, Suncall America, Woven Electronics
Advanced Textiles
The Upstate’s engineered textiles sector builds on its rich textile heritage, transitioning to advanced fibers and carbon composites for aerospace and automotive supply chains.
The carbon fiber industry cluster continues to grow in the Upstate, as companies like Upstate veteran Solvay and newer companies such as Teijin and Toray, bring their materials to the Southeast automotive and aerospace supply chains.
Upstate-headquartered Milliken & Company is a leader in private sector research in the textile industry, holding more than 3,200 patents and home to the largest textile research center in the world.
Featured Companies: Fitesa, Solvay, Milliken & Company, Sage Automotive Interiors, Teijin Ltd., Toray Industries, Syensqo
Metalworking & Fabrication
The large presence of Upstate companies in transportation equipment and industrial machinery create a strong manufacturing base for companies interested in metalworking and fabrication. These industries are both large users of finished metal products in their supply chain process.
Select companies: Flexible Technologies, Crane Instrumentation & Sampling, Renfrow Brothers, Spartanburg Steel, Timken
Research Support and Engineered Materials Assets
Advanced Materials Research Laboratory
Inside Clemson University’s 111,000 square foot Advanced Materials Research Laboratory are some of the world’s brightest researchers, using state-of-the-art equipment, driving innovation alongside industry leaders.
Available resources:
- Electron Microscopy Laboratories
- Optical fiber drawing capabilities
- Laser & chemical laboratories
- Class 100 clean rooms & instrumentation facilities.
The McNair Center for Aerospace Innovation and Research
The University of South Carolina McNair Center for Aerospace Innovation and Research’s mission is to support the aerospace industry through education, research and economic engagement, with $30 million in annual research grants and 100 graduates each year.
Core research areas:
- Advanced Composites
- Advanced Air Mobility
- Combustion
- Automation
Composites Manufacturing Technology Center
The Composites Manufacturing Technology Center (CMTC) is one of seven Centers of Excellence (COE) supporting the Office of Naval Research, serving as a key hub for advancing manufacturing processes and equipment development.
The Composites Consortium (TCC) fosters a cooperative environment of industry, academia and federally funded facilities and laboratories that nurtures development and continuous improvement of composite manufacturing processes and technology transfer.
Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers & Films (CAEFF)
- Designated by the National Science Foundation as a national Engineering Research Center, the only one in the country to focus solely on film and fiber research.
- Industrial Partners have the opportunity to advance state-of-the-art polymer processing while helping universities train the next generation of polymer processing professionals.
- Avenues for interaction with CAEFF include directed research, fiber and film process modeling and technical services.
From groundbreaking research facilities to industry-leading companies, the Upstate continues to expand the boundaries of manufacturing engineered materials. Whether it’s driving advancements in plastics, textiles, optics, or composites, our region is paving the way for a stronger, more efficient future for manufacturers.