VITREUS USA establishes first North American plant in Newberry County

German Ceramics Maker Establishes First North American Plant in Newberry

An $800,000 corporate investment has filled a vacant industrial park building at 200 Park Ave. in Newberry, S.C., bringing 15 new jobs to Newberry County. Henry McMaster reported the move by a ceramic surface-finishing plant.

Specialized Production for Brick and Roof Tile Industries

VITREUS USA operates as a subsidiary of the German heavy ceramics manufacturer VITREUS GmbH. The business specializes in raw materials and finishes such as manganese oxide, iron oxide, glass, color pigments, engobes, glazes, and granulates.

The new South Carolina facility develops, manufactures, and supplies ceramic surface finishes specifically for the brick and roof tile industry. It provides decorative and colored coats to facing bricks and clay roof tiles.

Vitreus Launches Local Production to Meet Surging Demand

Operations at the site have already started, and the business is currently moving through a testing and ramp-up phase. Individuals interested in joining the team can contact the company directly via email at [email protected].

Company leadership pointed to surging regional demand as the catalyst for the local setup. “Building on several years of successfully supplying the North American market from Germany, VITREUS is responding to strong growth in customers and order volume by establishing local production in the United States,” VITREUS USA CEO Joachim Grothe said. “With our new production facility in Newberry, we can serve our customers faster and more flexibly, backed by the expertise of our European team.”

State Support and Port Infrastructure Secure Plant Selection

State and local economic development officials welcomed the announcement as evidence of the region’s manufacturing appeal. Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III noted that the project was aided by S.C. Commerce’s Landing Pad Program, highlighting the state’s business climate.

Logistics infrastructure also played a part in the selection. SC Ports President and CEO Micah Mallace emphasized that the new plant benefits from the competitive edge provided by state ports, which offer global market connectivity to support the company’s supply chain requirements.

Revitalizing Local Industrial Space

Local authorities highlighted the community benefit of bringing an empty industrial space back to active duty. “Newberry County is proud to welcome VITREUS USA as the company establishes its first North American facility in our community,” Newberry County Council Chairman Karl Sease said. “In addition to bringing higher-paying jobs to the county, VITREUS USA will put a vacant building in our industrial park back into use.”