Club Car welcomed a host of state and local dignitaries to the ribbon-cutting ceremony of its new Appling facility, Thursday morning, including Governor Brian Kemp.
Columbia County Commissioners Connie Melear, Alison Couch and Chairman Doug Duncan, who also made remarks during the ceremony, were among the county leaders in attendance. City Councilmember Richard Bowman attended on behalf of Grovetown, and Mayor Roxanne Whitaker for Harlem.
Georgia Sens. Lee Anderson, Harold Jones and Chuck Payne, and House Reps. Mark Newton, Lynn Gladney, Trenton Howard, Gloria Fraser, Jodi Lott and Gary Richardson represented the state.
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Club Car announced its plans last October to launch a new manufacturing plant in the 105,391 square-foot building that it’s leasing in White Oak Industrial Park, which is managed by the Development Authority of Columbia County.
The new facility, at 780 Innovation Pkwy., an $8 million investment, sits across the street east to Club Car’s half million square foot distribution center at 750 Innovation Pkwy. Both buildings are across from the Amazon Fulfillment Center.
The plant will establish the U.S. manufacturing of the Club Car Urban, the company’s new street-legal, lightweight utility vehicle. The vehicle’s design comes from Polish electric vehicle company Melex, which Club Car acquired via its purchase of Danish EV manufacturer Garia in 2022.
Kemp, in his address to attendees, emphasized the golf-cart manufacturer’s contribution to Georgia’s place in the growing regional electric vehicle sector.
“We often tout these incredible investments that we’re seeing… in the auto manufacturer area, but we know that true e-mobility supply chains continue to include great products like those offered by Club Car,” said the governor.
Club Car CEO and President Mark Wagner, recognizing Kemp’s pro-EV initiatives, mentioned the company’s debt to lithium as a key element in the industry’s supply chain that enabled Club Car’s growth.
“It’s wild for us, because we’ve always been in this [electric vehicle] space,” said Wagner. “ This product [Club Car Urban] wouldn’t be possible without lithium. These electric vehicles are very capable, high range high torque. So it’s allowing us to build on that kind of EV purpose in the corridor.”
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
