Berkeley County site chosen for corporate headquarters and state-of-the-art assembly plant
LADSON, S.C. - American LaFrance, LLC announced today that its new corporate headquarters and state-of-the-art emergency and vocational vehicle assembly plant will be built along Interstate 26 in Berkeley County, between Summerville and Jedburg.
Previous plans to relocate on property adjacent to the Charleston Southern University campus in North Charleston were revised when the company and the site’s design-build developer were unable to finalize the deal in a time frame that would permit timely completion of the new plant. The delays made it necessary for the company to seek a new location in the Charleston Tri-County area.
“Because of our imminent move in 2007 from the existing facility to accommodate DaimlerChrysler’s expansion in Palmetto Commerce Park, it was critical that we finalize our site arrangements,” said John Stevenson, President and CEO of American LaFrance, LLC.
American LaFrance has entered into an agreement with Spartanburg-based Johnson Development Associates, Inc. which will build and lease the new headquarters and state-of-the-art assembly plant. “We are very pleased that this easily accessible site will make it possible to move forward with our plan to build a premier facility in the Tri-County area,” Stevenson said.
“We are very excited and thankful that American LaFrance was able to find a site in Berkeley County that could accommodate the company’s schedule. It is very important that we keep American LaFrance in the region. We really appreciate the work that Johnson Development is doing to keep them here,” said Jim Rozier, Berkeley County Supervisor.
The company and Charleston Southern University expect to continue to work together through scholarships funded by the company, internships, job opportunities and the potential creation of other new programs with the University. “We look forward to furthering our relationship with the University as we explore ways to blend academia and industry,” Stevenson said.
“We are grateful to Mayor Summey for his support throughout this process, and to Berkeley and Charleston County for the assistance they have provided under tremendous time constraints. We look forward to celebrating the grand opening this fall of the new North Charleston - American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center that will display the American LaFrance vintage fire truck collection. The museum is a testament to Mayor Summey’s efforts and appreciation for our company’s great history. We look forward to sharing the heritage of American LaFrance with the citizens of the State and its many visitors,” Stevenson said.
About American LaFrance:
American LaFrance has built fire and rescue apparatus since 1832. Today the company manufactures and distributes a comprehensive line of fire and emergency apparatus including chassis, aerials, ambulances, pumpers, rescues, tankers and wildland vehicles. The company also manufacturers a line of vocational vehicles. For additional information, visit www.americanlafrance.com.