Samsung was thinking about setting up a new home appliance manufacturing plant in the United States last year. The move appeared to be in response to growing protectionism in the country following the ascension of President Donald Trump to the highest office.

Samsung confirmed in June 2017 that it would invest $380 million in the state of South Carolina for its new factory. The company has now announced that commercial production at its first US-based home appliance manufacturing facility has begun merely six months after Samsung took possession of the plant.

Manufacturing appliances in the United States

Samsung took possession of a former Caterpillar plant in the town of Newberry and converted it into its first US-based home appliance manufacturing plant. It was able to complete the job in six months and has now started commercial production.

It completed the job with more than 800 fulltime and contract workers, adding 151,000 square feet and installing two manufacturing and assembly lines with 20 presses and 30 injection molding machines. The two assembly lines are used to combine the components that Samsung makes in-house with supplied modules. The products are then packaged for shipment to customers in the United States.

Samsung employees have started manufacturing ship-ready washing machines at the plant. They’re producing washer cabinets, inner tubs and bases from blank steel. The company plans to produce one million washing machines at its new factory this year.

The $380 million plant is going to create almost 1,000 local jobs by 2020. That’s a fact that Samsung recently reminded the US government as the company awaits its decision to impose strict tariffs on large residential washing machines built by Samsung.