Rolls-Royce increases U.S. manufacturing capabilities with $75m investment in South Carolina

Rolls-Royce has announced it is expanding U.S. manufacturing capabilities with a $75m investment in its Aiken, South Carolina engine plant for mtu Series 4000 production.

The investment will increase machining capabilities and grow the facility’s footprint, creating 60 new jobs in the United States with a total of 434 full-time positions at the facility. The South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project.

Earlier this year, Rolls-Royce announced a $24m expansion of its Mankato, Minnesota facility, adding 100 jobs to its Power Systems division in the U.S. These investments reflect the rapid growth of data centers in the U.S., increasing pressure on electric grids and the critical need for reliable power generation.

Demand for high-power mission critical backup generators from Rolls-Royce has grown considerably over the past decade. The mtu Series 4000 engines that power these systems are built in Aiken and then assembled into complete generator sets at the Rolls-Royce facility in Mankato.

With this investment, Rolls-Royce will machine additional mtu Series 4000 components in the U.S. Currently, most of the components are machined in Germany and sent to the U.S. as finished goods. To meet demand, additional in-country machining is essential.

The facility will be expanded in two phases. Phase one will grow the existing manufacturing footprint by 37,000 sq.ft. In a potential further phase, another 22,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space could be added (60,000 sq. ft. in total). Construction for Phase 1 will begin in Q1 2026 with production set to begin in July 2027.

Adam Wood, Managing Director for Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division in America said: “The increased investment strengthens our ability to serve our U.S. customers – especially in the fast-growing American data center industry. By increasing our machining capabilities in Aiken, we can supply more engines to Mankato, enabling us to deliver more gensets with shorter lead times. These investments reflect our commitment to supporting U.S. customers with reliable, locally produced solutions.”