KSM Castings

Fueling Cleveland County’s diverse economy is one of its primary driving forces – the automotive industry.

Major assembly plants for BMW, Daimler, Volvo, GM, Honda and Volkswagen are all within close proximity of Cleveland County. Among the companies supporting the industry is KSM Castings. In 2013, the German company, a producer of light metal casting products, invested $55 million in its first U.S. manufacturing facility located in Shelby. As a result, nearly 200 jobs were created over KSM Castings’ first five years.

More recently, the company leveraged state financial incentives to complete an $80 million expansion that included 80 additional jobs. KSM Castings credited “first-class employees” as a key factor behind their success and ability to grow, a testament to the region’s advanced workforce training programs designed to develop talent with skills specific to the industry.

Cleveland County is a part of the greater region’s manufacturing and distribution hub that includes 500-plus companies. A network of logistical advantages lend themselves to operations that produce electric motors, transmissions, truck cabs and motor vehicle parts. Thanks to reliable air, road, rail and port systems, products flow with ease in and out of Cleveland County.