A South Korean-based ball-bearing company is launching a Spartanburg County operation that’s expected to bring up to 120 jobs to the area by September 2009.

Iljin America will manufacture industrial bearings, which are used in products like commercial construction equipment and tractors.

The company bought a former textile building in early March, and has been working with state and county officials to solidify the $38 million investment here, said Harvey Kulka, Iljin America vice president of operations.

State and county incentives packages have not been finalized.

The building is on 10 acres near Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.

Iljin Global Chairman Sang Il Lee flew in from South Korea for a small, private ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday morning. The event served primarily to introduce Lee to local officials. The state Department of Commerce, Spartanburg County government and the city of Greer all sent representatives.

Some of those representatives walked away hoping the company would expand its operation here to up to 500 jobs, but Kulka said they were overly optimistic and that if Iljin does expand, it likely will be on property the company owns near Atlanta.

Spartanburg County Economic Development Corp. director Carter Smith said that he was concentrating solely on landing the 120 jobs at this point.

Iljin will begin hiring people over the next eight months, Kulka said.

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