Top Employers In The Charleston Region

Lee and Associates - Charleston, SC | Top Employers in the Charleston MSA

Charleston is a city on the rise. This thriving MSA has long been a magnet for industry, thanks to the state’s business-friendly environment and its coastal lifestyle.

While the Lowcountry is renowned for its rich history and coastal charm, it has also emerged as a hub for various industries, including aviation, manufacturing, distribution, and healthcare.

To understand the driving forces behind Charleston’s economy, we can take a look at major companies that have established a strong presence in the region, ones who have played a pivotal role in shaping the city’s economic landscape.

Boeing
Boeing South Carolina is the home of the 787 Dreamliner, where full cycle 787 Dreamliner production happens – from freezer to flight. This facility is used for the fabrication, assembly and delivery of the 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 to customers all over the world. In addition to the Dreamliner assembly, Boeing South Carolina is home to Boeing Research & Technology, IT Center of Excellence, Propulsion Systems, Interiors Responsibility Center, and Engineering Design Center. BSC partners with more than 300 suppliers across the state.
Roper St. Francis
Roper St. Francis has been trusted with Lowcountry’s health and wellness for generations. As their community grows, they continue to expand their services and open their arms to provide care to the people who need it most. RSF currently has 4 major hospital locations in the Charleston Metro area, and dozens of inpatient and outpatient facilities. Notably, Roper is planning to re-locate its main campus from Downtown to North Charleston in the next several years, constructing a brand-new hospital campus in North Charleston.
Trident Health
Trident Health, an affiliate of HCA Healthcare, is comprised of two acute care hospitals with more than 400 beds - Trident Medical Center and Summerville Medical Center — and two freestanding emergency departments — Moncks Corner Medical Center and Centre Pointe Emergency. Everyday Trident Health's more than 2,600 employees, more than 500 physicians and more than 130 volunteers are dedicated to fulfilling the health system's mission.
Volvo
On September 25, 2015, Volvo Cars broke ground on its first US plant in Ridgevill, South Carolina within Camp Hall Commerce Park. The 2.3 million sq. ft. facility, which sits on 1,600 acres and includes a body shop, paint shop, battery assembly plant, final assembly, a vehicle processing center and an office building. Now, Volvo is producing the S60 sedan and EX90 SUV at the Ridgeville plant.
Mercedes
Mercedes-Benz Vans is a plant in Ladson, South Carolina that assembles Sprinter and eSprinter vans for the U.S. and Canadian markets. Since 2006, more than 350,000 Sprinter and Metris vans have been assembled in North Charleston and delivered to destinations across the U.S. In 2021, the plant celebrated its 15-year legacy of SKD production in South Carolina. 2023 marked a plant milestone with a record-setting over 50,000 vans produced. The U.S. is the second largest market for Sprinter vans after Germany.
Bosch
The Bosch Charleston facility, which opened in 1974, is its largest manufacturing site in the United States. It covers more than 900K SF of floor space located on 118 acres. The plant manufactures gasoline fuel injection systems, ESP/ABS brake systems, and now electric motors. The Charleston plant stands out with a long history of process competency as well as its knowledge in the area of automation and robotics. Production at the site features highly-automated processes, and the site utilizes artificial intelligence and Industry 4.0 methods to gain more efficiency.
Walmart Import Facility
In 2022, Walmart opened a $220 million import/distribution center in Ridgeville, SC. The 3 million SF facility is the first of its kind in South Carolina, and created 1,300 local jobs. Dorchester County was selected as the ideal location for this facility due to South Carolina's business-friendly environment and the site's proximity to the Port of Charleston. The distribution center stores and sorts imported goods that arrive through the port, for delivery to 850 regional Walmart and Sam's Club locations across the Southeast.
Kiawah Island Resort
The Carolina coast offers countless vacation destinations and places to stay. But none equal to the Kiawah Island Golf Resort and Sanctuary Hotel. Just 21 miles from Charleston, this South Carolina luxury beach resort hotel delivers Forbes Five-Star service and unequaled accommodations. Meticulous attention to detail, distinguished service and unparalleled luxury paired with a truly sumptuous setting.
T-Mobile Call Center
In 2018, T-Mobile opened the doors to its brand new, state-of-the-art customer care facility in North Charleston, South Carolina. Prior to the opening, T-Mobile had been a fixture in the Charleston community for more than 10 years. After years of explosive growth, with the company more than doubling its customer base to nearly 73 million, T-Mobile identified North Charleston as an ideal location to increase its footprint. The facility houses 1,200 customer care employees who support T-Mobile’s postpaid customers.
Nucor Steel
The Nucor Steel Berkeley mill employs nearly 1,000 people and utilizes the services of up to 350 additional contractors working on-site on any given day. Nucor Corp. has invested more than $1 billion in the Berkeley mill since it began production in 1996, generating approximately $2 billion in revenue annually. Nucor is North America’s largest steel producer and recycler, recycling approximately 20 million tons of scrap metal annually to make new steel products. The company got its start in the steel industry in the 1960s when it bought a steel joist facility in Florence, and later built its first steel mill in Darlington. Today, Nucor employs 2,500 people across South Carolina.
Scientific Research Corporation (SRC)
SRC is an advanced engineering company providing state-of-the-art solutions in defense, federal, global, and cyber and intelligence markets. Since 1988, the company has provided innovative, cost-effective technology solutions for air, land, sea, and cyberspace applications.