Austal USA announced plans to expand its Mobile shipyard with the construction of an additional waterfront assembly facility to support the growth of shipbuilding in Alabama’s Port City. The expansion project, fueled by a capital investment of more than $288 million, is set to create 1,032 new jobs over the next four years, according to the Mobile Chamber. This infrastructure expansion includes the construction of Final Assembly Building #2 (FA 2). The facility will feature three bays to build large steel modules including the Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and the Navy’s TAGOS-25 ocean surveillance steel ships.
In the summer, Meta Platforms announced that it will build a 715,000-square-foot data center on a 1,500-acre site across Interstate 65 from the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama plant in Montgomery. California-based Meta operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp, among other products and services. It is the second Meta data center in the state. The other is in Huntsville.
In a report by the Alabama News Center, Meta seems very happy about the decision to build in Alabama’s Capital. “Montgomery is the perfect home for Meta,” Brad Davis, director of Community and Economic Development at Meta, said. “It offers so much. Great access to infrastructure and renewable energy, a strong pool of talent and most importantly, a great set of community partners who have helped us move this project forward quickly. You all have been amazing from the beginning, and we thank you.”
Zekelman Industries, the largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturer in North America, will invest up to $120 million to expand the manufacturing capabilities and product offerings of its subsidiary, Atlas Tube, in Mississippi County, Ark. The project will bring Zekelman’s total number of employees in the area to more than 300. During the unveiling, the manufacturer also announced it will partner with Arkansas Northeastern College on a new workforce training initiative. Mississippi County is the largest steel-making county in the U.S., with plants like Big River Steel, Nucor and U.S. Steel.
Aluminum extrusion and metal fabricator Taber Extrusions of Russellville announced a $60 million expansion of its facility that will introduce the largest direct extrusion press in North America. The project is expected to create 70 jobs. It will add 125,000 square feet to Taber’s existing 140,000-square-foot facility and increase overall production capacity “by multiples,” the company said.
Standard Lithium Ltd., the company developing commercial lithium operations in Arkansas and east Texas, announced that it has a new partnership with publicly traded Equinor ASA. Norway-based Equinor is investing up to $160 million in the new plants. Standard, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, will get a $30 million cash payment at closing of the deal. Additionally, Equinor will solely provide funds for a $60 million work project in southwest Arkansas and in east Texas. Standard has been producing battery-quality lithium products at a test plant in El Dorado for more than three years.
Tractor Supply has opened its tenth U.S. distribution center in Maumelle, Ark. The 1.1 million-square-foot facility represents an investment of more than $175 million in the region and will create 500 full-time jobs for local residents. Tractor Supply is the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the country.
The Orlando-based timeshare/vacation ownership giant is relocating from its current headquarters located in the tourism sector of the region.
Niagara Bottling plans to create at least 100 full-time jobs at a new 1.45 million-square-foot manufacturing plant in Winter Haven’s Central Florida Intermodal Logistics Center. The California-based beverage supplier received a tax exemption for the approximately $422 million project in 2023. The company was expected to officially break ground that year, but has yet to do so.
Microsoft is constructing a new data center campus on Atlanta’s Southside. Since 2023, data center construction in metro Atlanta has increased 211 percent, which is the fastest among major data center markets across the country, according to real estate services firm CBRE. Microsoft has targeted Atlanta’s Southside for data center development, paying at least $171 million so far this year to acquire more than 480 acres, including the Union City site.
A European company that makes transformers for utilities and vehicles announced it will open a facility in eastern Georgia near the sprawling Plant Vogtle nuclear power station. Ritz Instrument Transformers will invest $28 million in the new facility in Waynesboro, about 30 miles south of Augusta, and promised to hire 130 workers. The German company, which already operates two Georgia plants, develops and produces transformers ranging from 600 volts to 500 kilovolts in addition to cast metal parts.
Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted exciting news within the state’s food manufacturing sector as Mizkan America, which makes products like Ragu pasta sauce, announced plans to expand its current facility in Owensboro with a $156 million investment creating 44 new Kentucky jobs. The project will see the company expand its Owensboro facilities by approximately 320,000 square feet, bringing its total operational space to over 970,000 square feet. The additional space will allow for building improvements, new machinery and equipment, IT upgrades and related assets.
Eastern Light Distilling broke ground this summer on a new distillery in East Kentucky. The $143 million deal will create 50 new jobs.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced that Mitsubishi Electric US (MEUS) will repurpose an existing manufacturing facility in Maysville to produce highly efficient heat pump compressors, which will bring 122 new full-time jobs with a $143.5 million investment. The Cabinet for Economic Development believes this is the largest project in Mason County in 20 years.
“I had the privilege of meeting with Mitsubishi Electric’s leadership during last week’s economic development visit to Japan to discuss our longstanding partnership and how we can continue to grow together. We also discussed the unique opportunity presented by this project, and it is incredible news for the company and for the commonwealth,” said Gov. Beshear. “The establishment of this facility positions Mitsubishi Electric, a leader in all-climate heat pump systems, to take its business to the next level and emphasizes the importance of investing in companies that are committed to U.S. manufacturing. I want to congratulate the company’s leadership on their decision to reinvest in Kentucky.”
Process Service Specialists, a specialty industrial mechanical contractor that provides support to all column, reactor, piping and specialty welding, catalyst and demolition work, will invest $3.5 million in its facility over the next three years, a move that will result in 160 new jobs.
Southland Industrial Coatings announced it is investing $13.1 million to construct a new fireproofing facility in St. Landry Parish that will serve customers in the utility and renewable energy industries nationwide. With this expansion, the Louisiana-based family business expects to create 120 direct new jobs with an average annual salary of more than $53,000 and retain 340 existing jobs in the state. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will also result in 178 indirect new jobs, for a total of 298 potential new jobs in the Acadiana Region. The company estimates 195 construction jobs at peak construction.
“The continued expansion of Southland Industrial Coatings, and its parent company Southland Steel Fabricators, is a Louisiana success story,” LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said. “We thank this family-owned business for its ongoing commitment to the skilled workers of Louisiana and continued investment in rural Louisiana.”
Construction has begun on a $46 million cold storage facility in Pearl River, La., that promises 100 new jobs. It is one of several deals turned recently in St. Tammany Parish. Georgia-based Agile Cold Storage is building a new facility that will house food production and distribution through the Port of New Orleans to around the world. The project is one gained by the announced $1.8 billion expansion of one of the South oldest port facilities.
Liebherr, one of the largest manufacturers of construction equipment in the world, is locating distribution and manufacturing operations in Lee County. The project represents a corporate investment of $176 million and will create at least 180 jobs by 2026. The company potentially will invest up to $238.4 million and create up to 342 jobs to support its new operations. Liebherr selected The HIVE Business Park in Tupelo as the location to expand its North American operations. The company will develop a new campus on a 118-acre site where it will construct more than 1 million square feet of building space.
Ashley Furniture Industries, the largest manufacturer of home furnishings in the world, has plans to expand operations in two of its existing locations in Lee County. The project represents a corporate investment of approximately $80 million in facilities and equipment, and will create at least 500 new jobs. This project will expand Ashley’s foam and mattress production in Verona through the purchase and renovation of a neighboring facility and the construction of a new facility. Additionally, Ashley plans to expand operations in Saltillo, currently the country’s largest mattress plant, with a substantial investment in equipment and operations. This project aims to enhance the company’s operational efficiencies to better serve Ashley’s customers in over 155 countries worldwide.
Anduril Industries is expanding its operations in McHenry. The project represents a corporate investment of $75 million and will create 60 new jobs. Anduril is a defense technology company on a mission to transform U.S. and allied militaries with advanced technology. Anduril combines modern software expertise with a rapid and differentiated approach to hardware development and manufacturing. The company, based out of Costa Mesa, Calif., acquired Adranos last year, along with its solid rocket motor production site in Stone County. The expansion will enhance the capabilities of that facility to increase the propellant mixing and solid rocket motor annual production capacity from 600 to more than 6,000 tactical-scale solid rocket motors. The expansion supports growing demand from Anduril’s customers.
In the spring quarter, Wolfspeed topped off its semiconductor plant in Chatham County, N.C. The facility will produce 200mm silicon carbide wafers, significantly expanding Wolfspeed’s materials capacity by meeting the demand for next-generation semiconductors critical to energy transition and AI. Innovative Construction Group, which was acquired by national homebuilder PulteGroup in 2020, announced in the spring it is investing roughly
$40 million in operations in Siler City.
A nearly $1 billion titanium plant bringing hundreds of high-paying jobs will be built in Cumberland County, according to the Fayetteville-Cumberland Economic Development Corporation. American Titanium Metals, operating under the name Project Aero, has announced it will build its aerospace-grade titanium mill in Fayetteville, creating more than 300 jobs with an average salary of $123,476, the news release said. The project involves an investment of more than $867 million in buildings and equipment, according to the release.
The 250-acre Wake Forest Innovation Quarter is growing the life sciences on Tobacco Road. Innovation Quarter’s second phase, which will double the science park’s square footage, lands Greensboro/Winston-Salem as a top 10 U.S. market for life sciences construction activity, according to a recent ranking by commercial real estate search-engine Commercial Search. Consuming about half a million square feet at Innovation Quarter is the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM). The institute is a leader in R&D, clinical trials, tech transfer and workforce development in health treatments.
Nipro, a manufacturer of medical equipment, is establishing a new plant in Pitt County, N.C. The $400 million project will create 232 jobs.
In the summer quarter, Gov. Kevin Stitt released a statement celebrating the $51 million federal investment in Tulsa’s Tech Hub: “The Tech Hub, which focuses on autonomous technologies such as drones, will make Tulsa the world’s leading destination for innovation, investment and talent in this technology and will find uses in industries spanning agriculture, defense, energy, health care, manufacturing and beyond.”
Fenecon, a provider of energy storage systems, announced it is establishing its first North American operation with headquarters and manufacturing in Greenville County. The company’s $3 million investment will create 68 new jobs. Founded in Germany, Fenecon is a leader in the clean energy sector, known for its innovative battery energy storage systems and smart energy management. The company designs and produces cutting-edge energy storage solutions for residential, commercial and
industrial markets.
Nucor Steel Berkeley broke ground on the construction of a new galvanizing line in May. The $425 million investment will create more than 50 new full-time jobs, according to a news release. The new galvanizing line is expected to start up in mid-2025. Adding the new line at the South Carolina sheet steel mill supports Nucor’s strategy to expand its capabilities and grow its participation in the automotive and consumer durables markets, the release stated. The mill in Berkeley County produces flat-rolled steel which has hundreds of everyday uses, including parts for cars, water heaters, lawnmowers, appliances and more. Nucor Steel Berkeley also produces steel beams that are used as support structures in bridges and buildings.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Howmet Aerospace officials announced the company is expanding its location in Morristown, Tenn. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Howmet Aerospace has locations in 13 different countries around the globe and 15 states across the U.S. With the Morristown expansion, the company will create 50 new jobs and invest an additional $27.9 million in Tennessee.
PPG will invest a total of $225 million and create 129 new jobs in Loudon County. The Loudon plant will be PPG’s first new U.S. manufacturing facility in the last 15 years and is part of the company’s greater investment to expand and innovate advanced manufacturing in North America.
One of Memphis’ largest private companies is relocating its execs to Franklin, the affluent city south of Nashville where Nissan operates its North American headquarters among other major corporate players. However, the company stated it is not relocating its headquarters.
Online sensation TikTok is leasing almost 150,000 square feet in Nashville’s Music Row’s Moore Building to place its permanent office.
ExxonMobil is renovating its 385-acre headquarters in Spring, Texas, to accommodate a new research center, which will relocate up to 600 employees to the Houston area and hire additional people locally. The oil and gas super-major is closing its other research centers around North America — two locations in Canada and one in New Jersey — and will build up the Houston area as its only remaining research center in the region. While the company has other research centers around the world, Exxon decided this was the best move for North America.
Elon Musk’s X is now trying to lock down office space in the Texas capital. The company is moving its headquarters to Austin from San Francisco as Musk says he’s moving his companies out of California. In two posts on X, the billionaire said he will move SpaceX’s headquarters from Hawthorne, Calif., to Starbase, Texas, a company town being built in the southern part of the state. Social media platform X will move from San Francisco to Austin, he then said.
An international electrolyzer company is looking to Houston as a prime location to build out its hydrogen business. Germany-based Thyssenkrupp Nucera, which is a supporting partner of the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub, established its Houston office in 2021, and is preparing for the local hydrogen ecosystem to grow.
Congressional leaders are supporting the Port of San Antonio’s proposal to develop a new billion-dollar campus for Air Force Cyber. The 16th Air Force’s AFCYBER campus would replace outdated structures and be designed and built to serve as a base of the future, according to multiple high-level backers of the project. AFCYBER employs more than 2,000 airmen, civilians and contractors who conduct sensitive cyberspace and information operations, electronic warfare, intelligence and reconnaissance activities in support of U.S. national security objectives.
Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that LS GreenLink USA, Inc. will invest $681 million to build a state-of-the-art 750,000-square-foot high-voltage direct current submarine cable manufacturing facility to serve the global offshore wind industry on approximately 100 acres of brownfield in the City of Chesapeake. The new facility will create over 330 full-time jobs. “LS GreenLink’s investment in Virginia will showcase the Commonwealth as a leader in offshore wind industry manufacturing,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “LS GreenLink has recognized that Virginia has the skilled talent, world-class logistics location, and business environment that will allow it to serve its growing global customers for submarine power cables.”
Governor Glenn Youngkin announced in the spring that JDSAT, Inc., a veteran-owned application development and data sciences firm, is investing $630,000 to expand its operations in Fairfax County. The company intends to invest in technical staff and analysts to support its growing artificial intelligence, cloud computing and data science business. The project will create 60 new jobs.
Topsoe, a Danish manufacturer and global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, plans to invest more than $400 million to build a factory at Meadowville Technology Park in Chesterfield County. Pending Final Investment Decision, the company will manufacture advanced, energy-efficient Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cells (SOEC) that are essential in the production of clean hydrogen. Federal tax credits from the U.S. Department of Energy under the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit (Section 48C) will support the construction of the facility, which would be Topsoe’s largest U.S. investment. The project is expected to create 150 new jobs.
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