One of Aiken County’s oldest companies is planning a more than $12 million investment in its facility.
AGY manufactures specialty glass fiber. It is expanding the capacity of its low-dielectric (Low Dk) and low-dissipation factor (Low DF) glass fibers.
“Their material is used in cell phones, in military applications, pretty much anything in our world. This expansion is related to the growth in AI (artificial intelligence), and so this yarn is used in the manufacturing of the chips used in AI,” Will Williams, President and CEO of Western SC Economic Development, explained for ABD.
Once complete and operational, the expansion will add 80 new jobs to its facility on Wagener Road in Aiken County.
“Artificial intelligence is transforming how the world operates, and we are proud that AGY in Aiken stands as a leader in America’s manufacturing capability for AI technologies,” said AGY CEO Al Ridilla in a news release announcing the investment.
Aiken County has had reason to celebrate growth this year. The AGY announcement is just the latest in a series of similar economic growth plans by the county’s existing companies.
In May, Kimberly-Clark announced a more than $200 million infusion into their facility on Old Jackson Road in Beech Island. The company will add more than a million square feet and 150 jobs to its existing facility. The plant first opened in 1968.
Just a few months later, Rolls-Royce in Graniteville, originally called mtu, committed to an expansion worth $75 million to its engine manufacturing operation. That will mean an additional 60 jobs.
It is not just existing businesses making a commitment to Aiken County. In 2024, two large-scale data center projects started construction.
The $800 million Meta center is in the Sage Mill Industrial Park. Soon after that August 2024 announcement, Atlanta-based DC Blox said it chose North Augusta for a hyperscale edge node. Those centers are smaller and situated regionally to bring networking power closer to the end user. It is under construction near the Hippodrome on Aiken-Augusta Highway.
Williams said they have always had an emphasis on taking care of companies Aiken County already has, while also attracting new business.
“Aiken County government has made this very business-friendly. They’ve kept taxes low. We’ve got an available workforce in the region,” he said. “All those things line up to show that we’ve consistently, over the years, had expansions. It’s just they all lined up here recently.”
Like Kimberly-Clark, AGY has operated in Aiken County since the 1960s. Originally, the plant was known as the Owens Corning plant.
“What they were making then was a glass fiber used in roof insulation, but now their product is much, much, much more expensive,” said Williams. “Now you’re talking about their fiber is used in materials that are on the Dreamliner (Boeing’s 787 aircraft). Or your cell phone and cell towers have their fiber in there.”
Aiken County received a $200,000 grant from the Coordinating Council for Economic Development. The funds will assist with the cost of building renovation.
Operations at the AGY expansion are expected to be online in the first quarter of 2026. Career opportunities are on the company website: https://www.agy.com/careers/
