ES Foundry and Greenwood County Economic Development win 2025 CiCi Award
June 19, 2025
Greenwood County Economic Development and ES Foundry have received national recognition for ES Foundry’s innovative investment in Greenwood County, winning a 2025 Corporate Investment & Community Impact (CiCi) Award. Trade & Industry Development, a leading national site selection publication, annually honors companies that have made the most significant impact on their communities.
Greenwood County Economic Development Director James Bateman, District 3 Councilwoman Johanna Bishop, District 4 Councilwoman Cathy Miller, ES Foundry GM of Operations Lionel Moss, County Council Vice Chaiman Dayne Pruitt, District 2 Councilman Mark Allison, District 1 Councilwoman Teresa Griffin, District 6 Councilman Robbie Templeton, County Council Chairman Theo Lane
The 2025 CiCi Awards recognize 15 projects for community impact, announced in 2024, that demonstrate the critical role site selection plays in shaping local economies and communities. The award, which highlights exemplary economic development, was formally presented to ES Foundry’s General Manager of Operations, Lionel Moss, on June 17, 2025, during the Greenwood County Council Meeting.
ES Foundry celebrated a major milestone for the U.S. solar industry with the opening of its cutting-edge crystalline solar cell manufacturing facility in Greenwood County. The company converted over 400,000 square feet of existing industrial space into a state-of-the-art production facility in less than eight months. With a projected workforce of 500 employees by July 2025, the Greenwood location significantly boosts domestic solar manufacturing capacity.
ES Foundry has played a key role in revitalizing a major industrial corridor as the first new industry to locate at the former Fujifilm campus. The company’s expansion into Greenwood County came at a pivotal time, offering new employment opportunities to skilled workers affected by the closure of Ascend Performance Materials.
“ES Foundry’s investment is a strong example of what’s possible when innovation, timing, and community come together,” said County Council Vice Chairman Dayne Pruitt. “This project brings high-quality jobs, revitalizes an important industrial site, and positions Greenwood County as a leader in the clean energy economy. We’re proud to have them here and grateful for the momentum they’ve helped create.”
ES Foundry’s Greenwood facility will have the capacity to ship 3 gigawatts (GW) of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) solar cells annually, making it the largest producer of its kind in the United States.
The CiCi Award underscores the impact of ES Foundry’s investment and highlights Greenwood County’s success in attracting forward-thinking industries that strengthen the local economy and create quality, future-ready jobs.
This is the second CiCi Award win for Greenwood County Economic Development. E.A. Sween Company and Greenwood County Economic Development received a 2023 CiCi Award for community impact when E.A. Sween expanded their Minnesota operations, becoming the first tenants in the North Greenwood Industrial Park.
For a complete list of 2025 CiCi Award recipients, visit 2025 CiCi Awards – Community Impact.
