Home Care In Seneca, SC

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BorgWarner announced today its plan to invest $42 million into the expansion of its Seneca, South Carolina production facility. The investment will be allocated to building and equipment upgrades as well as the development of new manufacturing lines to launch the production of 3GWh of annual battery module capacity, contributing to the growth of the company's battery module and pack production in the U.S.

Continue Reading

Over the course of three years, the expansion is expected to create approximately 122 jobs, including production, technical support, manufacturing, engineering, maintenance and supporting function positions. To aid in the expansion, BorgWarner is working closely with the State of South Carolina as well as Oconee County.

"The ability to expand our existing BorgWarner operations producing energy-efficient, clean products is crucial as we continue to 'Charge Forward' toward our goal of enabling lower-emissions transportation," said Volker Weng, Vice President and General Manager, BorgWarner Drivetrain and Battery Systems. "I want to thank the State of South Carolina and Oconee County for their support in further enabling the launch of new production processes at our Seneca facility, which will provide additional capacity to better meet U.S. customer demands for BorgWarner battery assemblies."

Expansion of the facility is slated to begin in the second quarter of 2023, with an expected completion date of in the first half of 2024.

About BorgWarnerFor more than 130 years, BorgWarner has been a transformative global product leader bringing successful mobility innovation to market. Today, we're accelerating the world's transition to eMobility — to help build a cleaner, healthier, safer future for all.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking statements as contemplated by the 1995 Private Securities Litigation Reform Act that are based on management's current outlook, expectations, estimates and projections. Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "continues," "could," "designed," "effect," "estimates," "evaluates," "expects," "forecasts," "goal," "guidance," "initiative," "intends," "may," "outlook," "plans," "potential," "predicts," "project," "pursue," "seek," "should," "target," "when," "will," "would," and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Further, all statements, other than statements of historical fact contained or incorporated by reference in this press release that we expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future regarding our financial position, business strategy and measures to implement that strategy, including changes to operations, competitive strengths, goals, expansion and growth of our business and operations, plans, references to future success and other such matters, are forward-looking statements. Accounting estimates, such as those described under the heading "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates" in Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 ("Form 10-K"), are inherently forward-looking. All forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by us in light of our experience and our perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance, and the Company's actual results may differ materially from those expressed, projected or implied in or by the forward-looking statements.

You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed, projected or implied in or by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties, among others, include supply disruptions impacting us or our customers, such as the current shortage of semiconductor chips that has impacted original equipment manufacturer ("OEM") customers and their suppliers, including us; commodity availability and pricing and an inability to achieve expected levels of recoverability in commercial negotiations with customers concerning these costs; competitive challenges from existing and new competitors including OEM customers; the challenges associated with rapidly changing technologies, particularly as relates to electric vehicles, and our ability to innovate in response; uncertainties regarding the extent and duration of impacts of matters associated with the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including additional production disruptions; the difficulty in forecasting demand for electric vehicles and our electric vehicles revenue growth; potential disruptions in the global economy caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine; the ability to identify targets and consummate acquisitions on acceptable terms; failure to realize the expected benefits of acquisitions on a timely basis; our ability to effect the intended tax-free spin-off of our Fuel Systems and Aftermarket segments into a separate, publicly traded company on a timely basis or at all; the potential that uncertainty during the pendency of the spin-off transaction could affect our financial performance; the possibility that the spin-off transaction will not achieve its intended benefits; the failure to promptly and effectively integrate acquired businesses; the potential for unknown or inestimable liabilities relating to the acquired businesses; our dependence on automotive and truck production, both of which are highly cyclical and subject to disruptions; our reliance on major OEM customers; fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates; our dependence on information systems; the uncertainty of the global economic environment; the outcome of existing or any future legal proceedings, including litigation with respect to various claims, or governmental investigations, including related litigation; future changes in laws and regulations, including, by way of example, taxes and tariffs, in the countries in which we operate; impacts from any potential future acquisition or disposition transactions; and the other risks noted in reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Item 1A, "Risk Factors" in our most recently-filed Form 10-K and/or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We do not undertake any obligation to update or announce publicly any updates to or revisions to any of the forward-looking statements in this press release to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions, circumstances, or assumptions underlying the statements.

SOURCE BorgWarner

Closings and Delays

Free Alzheimer's conference in South Carolina

Updated: 55 minutes ago

|

Free Alzheimer's conference in South Carolina

Flame Spray North America expands operations in Laurens Co.

Updated: 1 hour ago

|

Flame Spray North America announced it is expanding its operations in the Upstate.

Upstate native Danielle Brooks nominated for Academy Award

Updated: 1 hour ago

|

Simpsonville native Danielle Brooks has been nominated for an Oscar for her role in "The Color Purple"

New airline coming to GSP Airport

Updated: 2 hours ago

|

Breeze Airways will begin offering non-stop flights to several locations from GSP starting in May of this year

New Publix Exhibit at the Children's Museum of the Upstate-Spartanburg

Updated: 6 hours ago

|

FOX Carolina's Hayley Spitler has the details.

Upstate native from ‘The Color Purple’ nominated for Oscar

Updated: 6 hours ago

|

Nominations for the 96th Academy Awards were revealed on Tuesday and one of those nominees happens to be from the Upstate.

News

Weather

Sports

Traffic

Contact Us

Careers

[email protected] - 864-213-2103

Advertising

At Gray, our journalists report, write, edit and produce the news content that informs the communities we serve. Click here to learn more about our approach to artificial intelligence.

About Seneca

SENECA, S.C. (WSPA) – Seneca was built by people from a wide variety of backgrounds that helped establish it as a city.

Even before Seneca was established in 1873, historians said there were people living in that rural area.

“I mean, the original name of Seneca was Esseneca which is named after a Cherokee tribe that had lived on the Seneca River,” Nick McKinney, who is the director of the Seneca City Museums, said.

“Moving forward from that there were plantations here, enslaved people here. There has always been a diverse population of people in this area.”

McKinney said the different walks of life helped build the city.

“It was a harder life. So, people did work together and were able to come together to build structures. To worship. To do some aspects of life.”

Seneca also has a proud African American history that dates back to when the first plots of land were purchased.

“Three of the actual first land purchasers were African American,” McKinney explained. “So, we talk about Seneca has been diverse from the beginning.”

Historic Ram Cat Alley is a well-known part of downtown Seneca with a unique story of how it got its name.

McKinney said there are multiple stories and shared what they found about its history.

“It was because of Peter and Molly Majors who were African American business owners. Everyday they would go to the train as most people do to collect their goods and they happened to collect a lot of fish. They would go around town and sell these fish and a bunch of cats would come around as the day ended and the fish started to smell a little bit and there’s this joking phrase of ‘you can not ram another cat down this alley.’ That’s actually from our documentation how Ram Cat Alley got its name.”

Videos:

Do you want to visit McLadke Orchards for some fall fun? This adorable family farm in Seneca, SC, only an hour from Greenville, SC, has pumpkins, a hay ride, maze, apple slingshots, and adorable animals. We are here to tell you all about it!

NOTE: In 2023 the McLadke Orchards is only open for field trips and private events, except for their October Trunk or Treat and Christmas Santa Shop.

I was tripping over myself as soon as I opened my car door at McLadke Orchards in Seneca, SC because I saw an adorable piglet running in front of the farm store. I could not get out of my car fast enough to try to catch this adorable animal. I nearly melted into a puddle. Then I saw the cute little calf named Romeo just waiting for some treats and pets next to the farm store. What was this place?!

Well, it’s a family farm and it is so cute. They’ve opened up the farm for visitors for the first time this fall and I honestly would have been there sooner if I had known about the cute little piglet, which doesn’t even have a name yet. Visitors can write a name and drop it in a bowl for the grand naming at the end of October.

McLadke Orchards is the perfect place for a day trip to enjoy a hayride, pumpkin patch, that cute little piglet, feeding animals, slingshotting apples, and making those precious family memories we are all after.

About McLadke Orchards

Luke McLadke took me on a tour of the orchard, which is around 27 acres in total and I was surprised at so many things.

The property is home to an abandoned gold mine first of all. Who has an abandoned gold mine on their property? The McLadke family apparently. The land is full of neat history like that. There’s an old bridge that you’ll see when you take the hayride that was built in 1902 after a flood, which overflowed the nearby creek. The land was also used as a huge cornfield, which is hard to believe after riding through the woods to the creek.

The family has been growing their own apples, summer squash, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries for a few seasons now and the daughters sold the produce at a roadside stand until recently when the little farm store was built. This farm store is a throwback to what similar places must have looked like in the 1950s and 60s with 10-cent candy, an old weighing contraption, scuffed-up floors, and coke bottles for sale. I loved it. Plus, the little piglet hangs out here unless he is following Luke around.

You can go to the farm store during the week to purchase fresh produce and fruit during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. If you get lucky, you’ll see the little piglet there to greet you! Romeo the cow is right at the store and you can usually feed him treats for $1 a cup.

Fall Fun at McLadke Orchards

McLadke Orchards recently opened up their farm to the public in the fall with lots of family activities, from pumpkin picking to a hayride to shooting apples with a slingshot.

Once you arrive at the farm and park in front of the farm stand (follow the signs), you’ll get the opportunity to jump on the hayride and get a short tour of the farm and learn about the history – and the cool gold mine on the property – plus just enjoy the relaxing ride through the forest that surrounds the farm. You’ll get dropped off on the other side of the road at the pumpkin patch where you will have the opportunity to shoot a few apples in the slingshot, which is extraordinarily fun!

There are also adorable donkeys and cows you can feed and my very favorite – goats. You can purchase feed to give them, or just get in the enclosure with the goats and play with them. They are super friendly, as are the resident pig and chickens in the same space. They somehow all get along, unlike my kids at times. There is a vendor with funnel cakes and other goodies at this area of the farm if you want to grab something sweet.

There is also a small ship playground, water duck racing, and a huge hay bale maze. My kids really loved this and wanted to do it multiple times, which they are certainly welcome to do as your admission ticket includes that. You can pick a pumpkin in the patch while you’re over there as well.

The hayride runs about every 20 minutes or so, and is 20 minutes long, so while you wait after you park, you can see if you can find the adorable piglet with no name, play corn hole, or test your skills roping a steer. Thankfully it’s not a real steer or I’d be in trouble but I had a lot of fun trying out my non-existent roping skills.

There are no standalone bathrooms on-site but they do have a clean outhouse near the farm store.

Best Ages for McLadke Fall Fun

My kids are 11 and 8 and they had a lot of fun, especially in the hay bale maze, shooting the apples in the slingshot, and feeding the animals. And we all fell in love with the piglet and thought about kidnapping (pignapping?) him. I do think that smaller kids, probably ages 10 and under will have the most fun just given the kinds of activities available but really, I’m an adult (most of the time) and I had a blast, as did my 11-year-old. Luke told me that families usually spend a couple of hours there.

McLadke Orchards is very laid back and relaxed. Luke wanted to create a space where families can come and enjoy each other and the fall season.

They are hosting a Trunk or Treat on October 28th from 6 pm – 10 pm. There will be live music, line dancing, food vendors, and—of course—the farm. The cost of admission is canned food or monetary donations. Everything will be donated to the Golden Corner Food Pantry at the end of the night. Last year they had about 3000 people attend the Trunk or Treat, and they’re expecting 2023 to be even bigger!

Photography

McLadke Orchards works with talented photographer Kaycee James and her company, Heart of Dixie, for families to come to the farm for photos. They had several of her shots of families, maternity photos, and cute kid shots. If you’d like to have professional photos at the farm, she’s the photographer you’ll work with. You can see her work here and contact her through her Facebook page.

Visiting McLadke Orchard

The farm is open for fall activities Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 11:30 am – 8 pm and the farm store is open Tuesday – Friday from 11:30 am – 6:30 pm.

Admission for 2023 has not been announced yet, but in 2022 it was $10/person and ages 2 and under are free. The ticket includes everything but your pumpkin, extra apples for slingshotting (you will get a few apples to slingshot with your ticket) and extra feed for the animals.

McLadke Orchards also does field trips during the week so if you’re interested, give them a call.

McLadke Orchards596 Sitton Shoals, Seneca864.523.0123McLadke Orchards Facebook page

Photo courtesy of BASF

I

n the Oconee County town of Seneca, South Carolina, not far from Lake Keowee, the BASF North American Apprenticeship Development Program launched in 2021 in partnership with Tri-County Technical College (TCTC), Apprenticeship Carolina and readySC is getting ready to welcome its fourth cohort.

Participants earn $22.50 per hour and are full-time employees while attending class one day a week at TCTC’s Oconee Campus in Westminster as part of the company’s registered apprenticeship program in process technology.

“Our company wants to grow in diversity and inclusion at this site and globally,” said Elba Lizardi, BASF Seneca site director, at the program’s launch two years ago. The company’s goal is 30% female/under-represented minority leadership by 2030.

In June I met up with Lizardi and BASF Continuous Improvement Engineer and Apprenticeship Coordinator Gene Durrance at the gleaming TCTC campus, complete with a technical lab sponsored by Duke Energy and all the classroom and conferencing amenities one would expect from a cutting-edge technical college.

“Right now we’re in a growth phase, which is why we’re looking for new ways to attract people,” says Lizardi. BASF has created more than 50 jobs at the site in the past two years and now has invested slightly over $70 million in the facility, “and we need the additional workforce to support that.”

“No experience means no bad habits. It allows us to teach them BASF methods.”

— Elba Lizardi, BASF Seneca Site Director, on the company’s apprenticeship program

The BASF plant is a specialty chemical catalysts manufacturing and precious metal refining facility that has over 500 employees and contractors on site — a number that’s rising. The operation deals with hazardous and valuable materials such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and gold. That means molten metal and heat, which means a premium on safety, which means a super-premium on technical training. That and the competitive industrial employment landscape explain the high starting hourly pay for the apprentices— the highest-paid apprenticeship in the state by 36 cents.

“We in Seneca are the one refining solution for BASF,” Lizardi says of her site. “We are gathering materials in Europe and in North America and mostly funneling them to Seneca. We run a 24/7 operation and we don’t shut down.”

The highest-value precious metals become part of BASF’s business. So do the highest-value, precious workers.

Family Dynamic

Lizardi’s team worked with TCTC to build the program based on a program deployed by BASF at its large sites in Texas, bringing Durrance in with the second cohort. “Each year we’ve made changes to curriculum, hiring and targeting,” she says, so each successive group is better prepared. Participants range from 19-year-olds with no experience to ex-military to a stay-at-home mother re-entering the workforce after 15 years. Along the way, the cohorts build their own cohesive family, says Lizardi, noting one apprentice who suffered multiple personal calamities. She found immediate support from her peers: “They engulfed her,” she says. As did BASF plant floor and corporate staff.

“It’s a big company with a big heart,” Lizardi says, noting the efforts BASF has made to extract and support staff from Ukraine, for example.

The hearts beat plenty strong in Oconee County too. Of the apprentice group dynamic, she says, “It’s cool to watch. They create their own community. They know each other’s families.”

The classroom is led by instructor Bill Edge, a retired Duke Energy engineer. Topics range from nitty-gritty tool operation and maintenance to how pumps and valves work to safety case studies, OSHA 10 certification, continuous improvement, Lean Six Sigma and leadership.

“You see them growing on the floor and in the classroom,” Durrance says, noting how the stay-at-home mom has gone from reticent to outspoken and assertive with a little coaching. “I say, ‘Pretend you’re a parent,’ ” Durrance says with a laugh. “It shows you can grow at any age. That’s what I love about this program.

“The high schools are also really getting on board with this,” he says. When he visits schools and tells students they can be making over $50,000 a year plus benefits right out of high school with a bit more education, he finds some teachers inquiring about the program too, even as the graduates continue to sign up. “We interviewed three yesterday,” he says. “They are getting the message. Teachers are telling students. It’s a pool we can draw from.”

The program has now graduated 19 apprentices in all and is aiming for a class of 10-15 in that fourth cohort. The prospect is as exciting for management as it is for the apprentices. “I can’t wait for the next,” says Durrance.

“You absolutely see the transformation,” Lizardi say. “You give them confidence in a new space. We have a lot of women because of that. They’re surviving and seeing manufacturing is not this big black hole with only men. We have mothers rooms, so if you have a family you can still come back to work. We have paternity leave too. I would say we’re very active in all levels of diversity: we raised the pride month flag June 1 as we did at all BASF sites around the world. We have an employee transitioning who shared his story and wanted us to publish it that day. We have a very active military veterans group.

“Manufacturing,” she says, “can be for anyone.”