Cresa Advises USA Rare Earth on Site Selection for Major South Carolina Manufacturing Facility

Cresa is proud to have advised USA Rare Earth on the selection of Cherokee County, South Carolina, for a new rare earth metal and magnet manufacturing facility expected to strengthen domestic supply chains for critical minerals and advanced manufacturing.

Announced on June 2, 2026, the project is expected to bring approximately 490 high-skill manufacturing jobs to the region and support USA Rare Earth's growing integrated "mine-to-magnet" value chain. The planned facility will expand the company's domestic production capacity for rare earth magnets and refined metals used in defense, aerospace, semiconductor, energy, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing applications.

Cresa's team led a comprehensive site selection process that evaluated locations across multiple states. Using Cresa's proprietary Cresa Core technology platform, the team analyzed key decision-making factors including workforce availability, infrastructure, utility capacity, transportation access, incentives, and long-term operational requirements to help identify the location best aligned with USA Rare Earth's strategic objectives.

Representing USA Rare Earth on the assignment were Tom Birnbach, Sam Heiber, and Sebastian Arrivillaga, who worked closely with the company throughout the evaluation and selection process.

The Cherokee County facility is expected to represent an investment of approximately $1.2 billion and will serve as a key component of USA Rare Earth's efforts to establish a secure, Western-aligned supply chain for rare earth materials and permanent magnets. According to the company's announcement, engineering and equipment procurement are already underway, with commissioning targeted to begin in 2028.

Learn more about Cresa's site selection capabilities and the data-driven insights available through Cresa Core.