AFL, a Japanese-owned company that makes fiber optic products and equipment, announced Wednesday that it will expand its operations in Spartanburg County.
The $8.6 million investment is expected to create 95 new jobs over the next two years. AFL’s North American headquarters are located in Duncan. The company is a subsidiary of Fujikura Limited of Japan.
AFL has already relocated approximately 110 current employees into a new building located at Hidden Lake Circle in Duncan. The company will then add a new product line to its existing facility at 260 Parkway East, also located in Duncan. The expansion is expected to be complete by late 2013.
AFL’s Vice President of Accessories, Steve Ferguson, said the Duncan facility provides optical fibers for power utilities. He said the industry is currently seeing an expansion in transmission lines as more utilities nationwide begin building infrastructure for alternative forms of energy such as wind, natural gas, and nuclear.
“All of those new generation assets need to be connected into the overall electric utility grid,” he told South Carolina Radio Network, “So that is really the driver behind some of the transmission growth that’s going on today.”
The company will begin hiring for the new positions later this year. Anyone interested in job opportunities with the company should visit AFL’s website at www.AFLglobal.com or contact Scott Wheeler at 864-433-0333.
