Overview
Sodecia and Aapico will invest $120 million in a new manufacturing plant in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, to build ladder frames for Scout Motors’ upcoming EVs. The 400,000-square-foot facility is planned to open in 2027 and create up to 392 jobs, strengthening South Carolina’s growing automotive manufacturing base and supporting Scout’s initial vehicle launches.
Key facts
- Products: Ladder frames for Scout’s body-on-frame models, the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup.
- Location: About 60 miles south of Scout’s Blythewood assembly plant.
- Scale: 400,000 sq. ft.; up to 392 jobs once fully operational.
- Investment: $120 million joint venture by Portugal-based Sodecia and Thailand-based Aapico.
- Purpose: Provide the structural chassis backbone carrying the powertrain, suspension, and body for Scout’s first two vehicles.
Timeline alignment
- 2026: Scout targets preproduction builds in Blythewood.
- Late 2027: Ramp to full output at Blythewood; Orangeburg ladder-frame facility slated to come online in 2027 to support early production runs.
Supply chain and partners
- Frames: Built in Orangeburg to reduce logistics complexity for heavy components and align production with assembly schedules.
- Propulsion components: American Axle & Manufacturing to supply front electric drive units and rear e-Beam axles.
- Range extender: Engine to be produced at a Volkswagen facility in Mexico, reflecting a blended regional and cross-border sourcing approach.
Strategic significance
- Heritage strategy: Scout’s choice of a ladder-frame, body-on-frame platform emphasizes durability and off-road capability, positioning the Traveler and Terra in the competitive off-road segment.
- Risk sharing: The Sodecia–Aapico joint venture spreads capital and technology risk amid evolving EV and extended-range platforms.
- Local ecosystem: A nearby chassis supplier helps compress logistics, control costs, and stabilize a critical component during launch.
Economic impact
Officials expect the project to bolster Orangeburg County’s role as an automotive hub, potentially attracting additional suppliers and catalyzing related industrial development, construction activity, and indirect employment as Scout’s footprint expands across the Midlands.
What’s next
- Construction progress at the Orangeburg frame plant and Scout’s Blythewood assembly facility.
- Supplier tooling, validation, and ramp-up activities ahead of 2026 preproduction.
- Hiring for skilled manufacturing, maintenance, and engineering roles as the facility approaches its 2027 startup.
