The largest BMW factory in the world, in Spartanburg in South Carolina, makes a whole region live, but since Donald Trump threatens to tax imports in the sector, subcontractors fear to be the first victims
ADVERTISEMENTIn the heart of America, there's a German giant. It's the largest BMW factory in the world. Welcome to Spartanburg, with 10,000 employees, and 1400 vehicles produced every day.
The factory makes a whole region live, but since Donald Trump threatens to tax imports in the sector, subcontractors fear to be the first victims. "If the whole system is not working then for sure we have to think about all the jobs". "Well they would probably cut out us the contractors. People won't start building stuff if they don't have the money"
70% of the cars manufactured here are destined for the external market. The biggest exporter is the United States, at the forefront of the trade war.
It's a disaster for the city of Spartanburg if there are fewer cars produced or they're too expensive to manufacture. The entire region relies on the "good health" of the German company.
President of Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce, Allan Smith says, "BMW was really the rebirth not of our community but our region, almost everything you see around downtown today".
Even if Allan Smith is supporter of Donald Trump, he condemns his commercial policy. “Negotiating for your trade deals at the expense of local Spartanburg jobs is a wrong approach"
1.15 David Britt, Tindall company, in a construction site.
At Spartanburg, however, the effects of the commercial war are already being felt in the 400 companies installed in the wake of BMW.
At Tindall company, the Vice President of Sales, David Britt, a Republican, has already seen the price of steel increase by 22% in 3 months. "I don't think the President; I don't think he had any intention of this happening. We need to have him correct it as quickly as possible".
He added if the trade war intensifies, that`s almost 40,000 jobs in South Carolina, which could be at risk.