Sage Automotive Interiors has plans for $4 million in equipment and technology upgrades at its two Abbeville, S.C., facilities. The announcement comes five years after Sage announced a $10 million investment to expand its Spartanburg plant.
The company was acquired late last year for an undisclosed sum by California-based Clearlake Capital Group, and has since acquired Miko S.R.L., an Italian firm making luxury fabric found in Volvo, Mercedes, Jaguar, Porsche, Cadillac and Ford vehicles.
“As we face global competition on cost and performance, we continue to invest in our core strengths in South Carolina to support future growth,” stated Sage President and CEO Dirk Pieper.
The investment will begin before the end of the year, and will be spread across its two existing Abbeville plants, located at 601 Brooks St. and 1395 Highway 72 West.
Based in Greenville, Sage develops and manufactures surface seating, door panels and headliners for automotive OEMs, and employs 900 people in South Carolina across four facilities. The company has global offices and manufacturing locations in the U.S., Japan, China, Brazil, Korea and Europe.
“It’s always great to see an existing industry like Sage Automotive Interiors investing in our community,” said Abbeville County Council Chairman Bryan McClain. “Sage Automotive Interiors is an important part of our economy and community. We look forward to partnering with Sage Automotive for years to come.”
Sage was established in 2009 as a spinoff of Milliken & Company’s former automotive body cloth division, founded in 1948.
