WOODRUFF — Banners were hung throughout downtown, welcoming a company that plans to invest $40 million and create 215 jobs at a new production site in southern Spartanburg County.
Less than 2 miles from the BMW Group’s high-voltage battery assembly facility on state Highway 101, global cooling solution provider AIRSYS Cooling Technologies broke ground May 8 on what will be its new 264,000-square-foot global headquarters campus at 6228 Highway 101. AIRSYS is currently headquartered in Greer.
It’s another addition to quickly growing Woodruff. The city of about 4,500 residents is expected to more than double its population by 2027. Companies like BMW and AIRSYS are drawing more residents to the area looking for a new start. Construction of the new $700 million BMW facility continues, with production there expected to create at least 300 jobs.
Woodruff Mayor Kenneth Gist told The Post and Courier he expects additional economic announcements in the coming year.
“This is an exciting partnership for us,” Gist said. “We thank AIRSYS for choosing Woodruff. They will help make our community better with jobs and investments. Their new building will be state of the art and provide us with new opportunities.”
Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt attended the groundbreaking ceremony, where he lauded the county’s ongoing efforts to attract new companies to the region.
In 2022, companies pledged $4 billion in investments and 1,742 new jobs. The following year, businesses pledged $1.1 billion in capital investment and 1,146 new jobs. Spartanburg County saw around $1 billion in capital investments pledged by companies in 2024.
“We welcome AIRSYS here,” Britt said. “The reason why we have been so successful is because of our people. Over the past 15 years, we have especially been successful attracting the best and brightest companies. We are excited about what AIRSYS will do not only in Spartanburg County but for the whole Southeast.”
The company’s energy-efficient cooling solutions are used in data centers, schools and telecom cabinets. For three decades, AIRSYS has manufactured information and communication technology cooling equipment.
“Today marks a major milestone for AIRSYS as we break ground on our new global headquarters and manufacturing facility here in Woodruff,” AIRSYS Cooling Technologies President Paul Quigley said. “This investment represents the realization of a dream we have been working toward for many years. We are proud to deepen our roots in Spartanburg County and the city of Woodruff and honored to contribute to the growth of this remarkable region.”
As more companies expand to the city, new housing is a top priority. Gist said new housing construction continues at levels not experienced in previous years. More than 6,000 new homes are either being constructed or on track for construction over the next five years as the 150-year-old city braces for an influx of residents that could push its population to 18,000. It’s expected to spur even more interest in downtown, where Capri’s, an Italian Cuisine restaurant, is scheduled to open soon, offering another dining option for area residents.
And that’s not all.
Construction on a new Woodruff High School is nearly complete. Gist and others took a tour of the new high school in late April. Voters approved a referendum in August 2022 to allow Spartanburg School District 4 to issue $100 million in general obligation bonds to build the new 252,000-square-foot school on 100 acres at 1510 Cross Anchor Road. Gist said the new school is on track to open in August.
