Swiss linear technology manufacturer Schneeberger on Monday announced plans to open a new mineral casting facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the company’s $3.2 million investment is expected to create 101 new jobs over the next five years.
Schneeberger will lease a 42,000-square-foot facility to serve growing demand from the electronics, medical device and packaging industries. The new operation will be the company’s first U.S.-based mineral cast production facility, strategically located to bring Schneeberger, with a North American headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, closer to its customers.
The operations are expected to come online in late 2025.
Stefan Hantke, CEO of the Schneeberger Group, said that the new location will support the company’s “local for local” growth strategy, which aims to have production sites situated regionally to better serve its global customer base. Schneeberger has also established mineral cast production sites in Europe and China.
Mineral cast, also known as polymer concrete, combines quartz aggregate and industrial-grade epoxy in application-specific recipes to make machine bases. According to the company, the technology is not only energy-efficient but also significantly reduces carbon dioxide emissions compared to traditional machine base materials, such as cast iron or steel bases. When compared to those aforementioned legacy materials, polymer concrete production saves approximately 1.6 tons of CO2 emissions per ton produced, according to the company. Mineral cast products are also fully recyclable — the company takes back these bases to facilitate a certified recycling process.
“We are especially excited to bring our sustainable, cold-casting manufacturing technology to the U.S., where we will produce high-performance equipment bases that serve a wide range of industries,” said Schneeberger Mineral Cast President and GM George Blaha.
Founded in Switzerland in 1923, Schneeberger specializes in customized and high-precision linear technology, including linear bearings and gear racks.
Mineral casting also offers improved vibration damping, which enables higher speeds and greater end product precision, particularly important in the medical technology industry. In many instances, the components are cast to their final dimensions because minimal contraction occurs during hardening. The tech also provides flexible shaping for a wide range of products, and the cold casting process makes it possible to cast additional components and connections into the construction. The company can also provide similar services for sensors and measurement systems.
South Carolina’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project, but didn’t provide specifics about the funding.