September 2021

Could Audi build electric vehicles at VW plant?

German automaker Audi builds it EVs in Germany and Belgium. At some point it will need to build electric vehicles in the U.S. like everyone else, but it is unlikely for Audi to build a whole new plant with a facility in Mexico and its parent company VW already preparing for EV manufacturing. One clue suggests Audi, if it builds EVs in the U.S., would do it at parent company VW's plant in Chattanooga, Tenn. Audi shares the same all-electric architecture as the ID.4 — VW Group’s MEB platform — which would make production of the Audi Q4 e-tron quite possible in Tennessee.

 

Gap to hire 1,000 more at Nashville area distribution center

Gap continues to grow its 25-year-old distribution center in Gallatin, Tenn. The company is adding 1,000 jobs at the center.

 

Incentives approved to bring Samsung’s $17 billion plant to Taylor, Texas

Officials in the town of Taylor and Williamson County have approved incentives for a new Samsung Electronics $17 billion chip plant. The plant represents one of the largest foreign investments in U.S. history. Taylor is located just northeast of Austin where Samsung operates another chip plant.

 

Missouri cannabis industry adds more than 4,000 jobs in less than a year

According to a report this week from the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has to date issued some 4,584 state agent ID cards required to work at medical marijuana facilities.

 

Hytrol expands in Arkansas

Hytrol, a maker of conveyor systems used by Amazon, UPS and FedEx, is expanding it plant in Fort Smith by adding 100 jobs. The company is headquartered in Jonesboro, Ark. Hytrol is investing over $3 million in the deal.

 

Ascend West Virginia flooded with applications

Earlier this year, the state of West Virginia offered remote workers $12,000 in cash if they relocated there for two years. The state was flooded with applications. Called Ascend West Virginia, the talent attraction and retention program chose 53 people for its first class of remote workers moving to West Virginia. Those people chosen came from 21 states and other countries such as Germany. The first batch will receive $12,000 in cash, plus free outdoor recreation, the option to earn certifications through West Virginia University, and access to co-working space and networking opportunities.

 

VEDP "Supply Chain Optimization Program"

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership launched its Supply Chain Optimization Program, Gov. Ralph Northam announced in the summer quarter. The one-year program is designed to help Virginia businesses streamline their supply chain management. Participating businesses could receive a maximum of $10,000 in reimbursements for supply chain-related expenses, including consulting services, connections with experts and training sessions.

 

German auto parts supplier expanding again in Cullman, Ala.

German auto supplier REHAU plans to invest $50 million in expanding its plant in Cullman, Ala. The company is a major supplier to the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, Ala. REHAU will hire 150 workers in the deal.

 

Seven million Americans not working because of need to take care for homebound children

This summer, Census data showed that 7.5 million Americans are not working because they are taking care of children who are schooling at home. This issue is the biggest impediment to filling over 9 million vacant jobs.

 

Millions more square feet of space planned for North Carolina's Research Triangle

This has been a great year for biotech project activity in the Research Triangle. The Triangle currently has about 10 million square feet of biotech space, however, real estate analyst Newmark said this summer that there is up to 10 million square feet of new space under development. This summer Amgen reported it will invest $550 million in a new facility in the Triangle that will create 355 jobs.

 

Texas beating all states for California corporate relocations

According to Spectrum Location Solutions and Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, Texas is beating all other states for relocating headquarters coming from California. Texas captured 114 California corporate relocations from January 1, 2018, to June 30th of this year. That was 89 more than Tennessee captured, which had the second-most wins in that period. The Austin MSA won 57 during that time, the most of any Texas market.

 

China is also having labor issues

The U.S. economy is not the only large economy that is having a tough time finding labor. China, the second largest economy in the world, is also going through labor pains. Labor shortages are across the board, but manufacturing especially hard hit as factory owners struggle to fill jobs.

 

Nucor cancels Louisiana expansion of steel mill

Charlotte-based Nucor has abandoned its plan to invest $120 million in its steel manufacturing complex in Convent, La. The new facility would have made iron pellets.

 

The top trading partner of every Southern state

The U.S. is highly dependent — perhaps unsurprisingly — on Canada and Mexico for trade. The country’s top trading partner is Mexico, making up 14.8 percent of total trade. However, the country’s neighbors to the north and south are not the only trade partners that U.S. states rely heavily upon. Here are the top trading partners (exports) for each Southern state based on last year's totals:

 

Top export locations for each Southern state

                                             Value                 Percent of state exports

Alabama: China                 $3.1 billion        18.1 percent

Arkansas: Canada             $1.2 billion        22.1 percent

Florida: Brazil                     $3.5 billion        7.7 percent

Georgia: Canada               $5.1 billion        13.3 percent

Kentucky: Canada             $6.5 billion        26.5 percent

Louisiana:  China               $10.8 billion      18.1 percent

Mississippi: Canada           $2.1 billion        20.3 percent

Missouri: Canada            $4.4 billion        35.0 percent

North Carolina: Canada    $5.8 billion        24.7 percent

Oklahoma: Canada           $1.4 billion        27 percent

South Carolina: Germany$4.1 billion       13.5 percent

Tennessee: Canada         $5.8 billion        20.7 percent    

Texas: Mexico                    $8 9 billion        31.9 percent

Virginia: Canada                $2.7 billion        16.5 percent

West Virginia: Canada      $1.3 billion        28.3 percent

Source: Census Bureau

 

Thermo Fischer Scientific to establish new manufacturing facility in Wilson County, Tenn.

Thermo Fisher Scientific officials announced that the Massachusetts-based life sciences company will establish a new manufacturing facility in Wilson County that will lead to 1,400 new jobs. To date, Thermo Fisher has committed more than $100 million to build a new facility where it will produce containers and assemblies that are used globally by biopharma companies to develop and produce therapeutics and vaccines.

 

Bioplastics company opening facility in Savannah, Ga.

Bioplastics company NANTRenewables will invest up to $29 million to build a manufacturing facility at SeaPoint Industrial Terminal Complex in Savannah. This venture will create 134 manufacturing jobs in Chatham County.

 

American Trailer World creates 225 jobs in Franklin County, Ga.

American Trailer World has invested $20 million in expanding manufacturing operations at its Franklin County Carry-On Trailer facility. The company is hiring for all positions at the Lavonia facility to manufacture utility and specialty trailers. This expansion will create at least 225 jobs.

 

Vanderlande Industries expanding in Cobb County, Ga.

Netherlands-based material handling and logistics company Vanderlande will invest $59 million in expanding its North American headquarters in Cobb County. This expansion will create 500 new jobs in Marietta.

 

Medical tech company expanding in Gwinnett County, Ga., adding 1,200 jobs

Intuitive, a pioneer in robotic-assisted surgery and a global leader in minimally invasive care, will invest more than $500 million in its current campus in Gwinnett County, creating approximately 1,200 jobs in Peachtree Corners. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Intuitive is the manufacturer of the da Vinci robotic-assisted surgical systems and Ion bronchoscopy system.

 

Tyson Foods chooses Virginia for $300 million operation

Tyson Foods will invest $300 million to establish a manufacturing facility in Cane Creek Centre, an industrial park jointly owned by the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County, Va. The project is expected to create 376 new jobs.

 

Nineteen-million-dollar investment bringing 200 jobs to North Carolina

Vitamin and dietary supplements manufacturer Nature’s Value will invest more than $19 million to expand into Winston-Salem, N.C. The investment is expected to create 183 jobs in Forsyth County, with the average annual salary for new positions being $57,669.

 

Parker Hannifin expands in Holly Springs, Miss.

Parker Hannifin is expanding its existing facility in Holly Springs. The project is expected to create 25 new jobs. The Holly Springs location manufactures all first-fit OEM assemblies for fuel, air and crankcase ventilation filtration products.

 

Elkay plans Olive Branch, Miss., distribution hub

Plumbing and water delivery products manufacturer Elkay Manufacturing is locating distribution operations in Olive Branch. The $3.22 million project is expected to create 25 jobs over the next two years.

 

Wellborn Cabinet launches $15 million expansion in Ashland, Ala.

Wellborn Cabinets has announced a $15 million expansion that will ultimately create more than 200 jobs at the company’s plant in rural Clay County. Wellborn is a family-owned maker of kitchen and bath cabinets that employs 1,300 people in Clay County.

 

Prism Maritime building two more facilities in Chesapeake, Va.

A company that provides support services for the U.S. Navy is expanding its operations in Chesapeake with a $4 million investment, bringing 166 new jobs to the area. Prism Maritime provides services for the military and commercial maritime industry, including engineering and research.

 

Italy-based Grupporeco establishes factory in Lenoir County, N.C.

Global manufacturer of household appliance components, Grupporeco, will invest $28 million and create 110 new jobs in Kinston, N.C. The company’s new subsidiary, RECO U.S., will build its first manufacturing facility for dishwasher components in North America.

 

Walmart to hire 20,000 supply chain workers

Walmart is looking to hire 20,000 permanent workers for its distribution and fulfillment centers, trying to fill some of the most high-demand jobs in retail as the pandemic continues to disrupt the global supply chain. The average pay for its supply chain employees is $20.37 an hour.

 

Martinrea expansion means more than $31 million investment in Kentucky

Martinrea Hopkinsville, a Tier 1 automotive supplier of lightweight structures and propulsion systems, will expand its presence in Christian County, Ky., with an investment of more than $31 million that will create 33 jobs.

 

Wipro Limited opens Arkansas delivery complex

Wipro Limited, a global information technology, consulting, and business process services company, will open a new delivery center in Sherwood, Ark. The company expects to hire up to 400 employees with this $3 million investment.

 

Thoroughbred Aviation Maintenance opens HQ in Lexington, Ky.

Thoroughbred Aviation Maintenance (TAM) has opened its new headquarters operation at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington. The $800,000 project is expected to create 47 full-time jobs over the next three years. TAM maintains and services all commercial flights in Lexington.

 

KBR is expanding in Alabama, adding 160 jobs

Houston-based defense contractor KBR plans to expand its operations in Huntsville, Ala., with a new headquarters facility. The expansion means the addition of more than 160 jobs to provide engineering, scientific and technical services to the defense and aerospace industries at KBR’s new location just outside Redstone Arsenal.

 

Steel processor to build in Blytheville, Ark.

Majestic Steel plans to build a service center and processing facility on the Nucor Hickman steel production campus in Blytheville. The 515,000-square-foot facility will create about 225 jobs.

 

Mohawk expands production in Thomasville, Ga.

Mohawk Industries is growing its Thomasville manufacturing facility, creating 50 new jobs with an expanded 275,000-square-foot manufacturing area.

 

Planet Direct to create 100 new jobs in Manassas, Va.

Planet Direct, a direct mail production company, has moved into new headquarters in Innovation Park just outside Manassas, where it plans to create 100 jobs.

 

India-based tech company plans Tennessee operations center

India-based IGT Technologies will invest $3.9 million to expand its operations in Knoxville. The project is expected to create 200 new jobs, and will include an inbound call center and a technology development center.

 

New Walmart distribution center in the Charlotte region to add more than 500 jobs

Walmart plans to build a distribution center that will bring more than 500 full-time jobs to the Charlotte region. The 1-million-square-foot fulfillment distribution center will be located in Troutman in Iredell County.

 

LDG Multifamily expanding Kentucky operations

Affordable-housing developer LDG Multifamily will expand its Louisville operations with up to $10.75 million in investment to purchase and renovate a new headquarters, creating 50 jobs.

 

PowerHouse Recycling will create 50 jobs in North Carolina expansion

PowerHouse Recycling will create 50 new jobs and invest $5 million in an expansion in Rowan County, N.C. PowerHouse has invested in a new facility and is hiring truck drivers, e-commerce testers, e-commerce procurement and warehouse labor.

 

Chapin International to create 200 jobs in Kentucky

Chapin International, a manufacturer of compressed air sprayers, plans to add 200 full-time jobs with an expansion of its recently opened Rockcastle County facility and a new location in Boyle County, two projects totaling nearly $16.7 million in new investment.

 

Primal Pet Group expands Texas manufacturing facility

Primal Pet Group, which makes cat and dog foods, has begun construction on the $31.6 million expansion of its manufacturing facility in Abilene, Texas. The project is expected to create roughly 130 jobs.

 

Sungwoo Hitech locating first U.S. manufacturing operations in Washington County, Tenn.

Sungwoo Hitech will invest $40 million to locate its first U.S. manufacturing operations in Telford, Tenn. The Korean automotive supplier will create 117 new jobs to manufacture metal stamped components -- bumpers, rear components and side framing -- for customers including General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen and BMW.

 

Milwaukee Tool adding another Mississippi facility

Wisconsin-based Milwaukee Tool is expanding its presence in Mississippi once again by leasing a facility in Clinton to grow its operations. The manufacturer of heavy-duty power tools will invest more than $7 million with the expansion. The announcement is part of the company’s commitment to create 1,200 jobs in the state.

 

Bigelow Tea investing $53 million in Jeffersontown, Ky.

Bigelow Tea will relocate and expand in Jeffersontown with a $53 million investment that will create 31 jobs. Bigelow will construct a 334,000-square-foot operation near its existing facility.

 

Likewize creating 500 jobs in Texas

Likewize, a global tech protection company formerly known as Brightstar, has opened a new fulfillment center in Flower Mound that is expected to create 500 new jobs. Likewize is also relocating its headquarters to Southlake, along with the fulfillment center near the DFW airport.

 

Coca-Cola bottler plans Baton Rouge expansion

Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED, headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., is considering a $42 million investment to expand its bottling facility in Baton Rouge, La. The proposed project would create 15 new jobs.

 

New steel plant coming to Meade County, Ky.

Eddie Kane Steel Products plans to construct a $4.8 million steel processing facility in Meade County, Ky. The project is expected to create 25 jobs.

 

Cypress Creek Renewables plans South Carolina solar project

Cypress Creek Renewables plans to grow operations with a new solar project in Anderson County, S.C. The company has taken the first steps to invest up to $68 million in a 50-megawatt solar facility.

 

ReliaQuest moving 600 jobs to new Tampa HQ

ReliaQuest, one of the largest cybersecurity companies in the Tampa area, will move 400 employees into its new 120,000-square-foot headquarters in the Water Street development early next year and will hire another 150 to 200 by the end of the year.

 

Miami’s Crypto Capital continues to grow

Okcoin, one of the world’s fastest growing cryptocurrency trading platforms, announced the opening of its Miami office that will also serve its growing customer base in Latin America. The San Francisco-based company said it will be hiring 100 additional jobs.

 

New solar company plans 75 jobs in Oklahoma City

EightTwenty, a new energy services company, announced plans to establish a headquarters in northeast Oklahoma City and to create 75 jobs over the next two years.

 

TELUS creating 1,200 jobs in Charleston County, S.C.

TELUS, a company that provides multilingual digital IT solutions, is opening a new facility in North Charleston. The initial investment of $3.4 million will create approximately 1,200 new jobs by 2022.

 

Texas company investing $6 million in Bibb County, Ala., plant

Houston’s CEMEX USA has pumped $6 million into Bibb County with its new Brierfield plant (RM USA Aggregates) to produce construction aggregates. It is close to CEMEX’s existing Ready Mix USA concrete operations in Tuscaloosa, Vance and Alabaster.

 

Tampa airport hopes to fill 950 positions

Tampa International Airport held a hiring day in August to fill more than 950 positions in a variety of fields including retail, rental car, maintenance, airline support, janitorial and more.

 

Spectra Laboratories opens new facility in Southaven, Miss.

Fresenius Medical Care’s Spectra Laboratories has opened a new renal lab services facility in Southaven, Miss. Plans for the facility were announced two years ago. This laboratory will create more than 300 jobs in the area over the next couple of years.

 

Waste Management creating 330 jobs with Tupelo expansion

Waste Management is adding 330 remote jobs in Mississippi, investing about $660,000 in the project for equipment and workstations enabling employees to work from a remote location.

 

Green Dot Corporation relocating HQ to Texas

Fintech firm and U.S. provider of prepaid debit cards Green Dot Corporation will relocate its corporate headquarters from Pasadena, Calif., to Austin, as it adopts a permanent remote working model. Like other tech firms, Green Dot has embraced the shift to remote working forced by the coronavirus pandemic, which has reduced the need to maintain large headquarters in expensive cities.

 

Woodgrain investing $17 million in Virginia expansions

In Virginia, Woodgrain will invest nearly $9 million to expand its operations in Smyth County and invest more than $8 million to purchase and expand the former Independence Lumber sawmill in Grayson County. The moulding and trim manufacturer will create 100 new jobs, save 80 existing jobs, and increase purchases of Virginia-grown forest products.

 

Oklahoma airpark becoming logistics hub

Under a $124 million development plan, a significant portion of the Ardmore Industrial Airpark in Ardmore, Okla., will become an international, state-of-the-art multimodal logistics facility. The newly developed Global Transportation & Industrial Park of Oklahoma (GTIP) includes more than 200 acres of shovel-ready and build-to-suit land.

 

Packaging manufacturer announces $80 million investment in South Carolina facility

Pregis, an Illinois-based manufacturer of protective packaging materials, will establish a new $80 million facility for its blown film extrusion operations in upstate South Carolina. The facility will create 120 new jobs for workers in Anderson.

 

New fintech center bringing 700 jobs to Sandy Springs, Ga.

Deluxe Corp. has opened its FinTech and Customer Innovation Center in Sandy Springs, where it will eventually employ more than 700 workers with an average salary of $91,000. The company is investing more than $12 million in the project.

 

AECOM moves HQ from L.A. to Dallas, Texas

Multinational infrastructure consulting firm AECOM — a driving force behind projects including high-speed rail and the proposed hyperloop in Texas — will relocate its global headquarters to Dallas from Los Angeles. An undisclosed number of corporate executives will make the move to the company’s existing Dallas office, joining more than 1,200 employees already in the state.

 

Another tech company heads to McKinney, Texas

Xcelerate Auto, a fintech company that focuses on electric vehicles, has relocated its headquarters from Frisco, Texas, to McKinney. Xcelerate provides funding support and other products to emerging electric vehicle manufacturers.

 

Plant-based food/drink manufacturer coming to Dallas-Fort Worth

Another company that produces oat milk has revealed plans for a production facility in Midlothian, Texas. SunOpta’s new facility will create up to 185 high-paying manufacturing and management jobs

 

Aerospace startup opens HQ in Tennessee

A startup developer of next-generation aerospace components will establish its headquarters in East Tennessee. Whisper Aero, formed last year by the former director of Uber’s air taxi division, plans to build electric thrusters for drones, aircraft and electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing vehicles. Whisper has raised $7.5 million to date. The headquarters project in Crossville, Tenn., will create 47 jobs.

 

Harger expands North Carolina operations

Harger, a supplier of electrical protection equipment, will expand its current operations in Fairmont, N.C. The company’s $3.2 million investment in Robeson County is expected to create 20 jobs.

 

Modular building enterprise bringing 200 jobs to Fulton County, Ga.

Advanced Modular Structures, a modular building enterprise affiliated with Atlanta-based real estate developer The Integral Group, will create 200 jobs and invest more than $14 million in a new manufacturing facility in unincorporated Fulton County.

 

Power tech startup invests $21.5 million in North Carolina HQ

A San Francisco-based power technology company, Smart Wires, has picked North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park in Durham as the site of its new global headquarters. The project is a $21.5 million investment.

 

Steel fabricator investing $21 million in Cleveland County, N.C.

Steffes, a manufacturer of equipment for the oil and gas, power and industrial sectors, plans to invest more than $20 million in a new factory in western North Carolina. The plant in Shelby, N.C., is expected to create 130 jobs.

 

Uber acquires Texas-based logistics tech company

San Francisco-based Uber announced that it plans to spend $2.25 billion to acquire Transplace, a Frisco, Texas-based logistics technology company.

 

Amazon announces 10th fulfillment center in Tennessee

Amazon will bring a new fulfillment center and 500 new jobs to Clarksville, Tenn. The new 1-million-square-foot facility is expected to launch in 2022.

 

Top Edge Components announces $2.9 million investment in Anderson County, S.C.

Top Edge Components, a subsidiary of Yoder’s, will invest $2.9 million to establish a facility to build wooden floor and roof trusses in Townville. The investment will create 25 new jobs.

 

Ocean Aero moving to Gulfport, Miss.

Ocean Aero, manufacturer and service provider of ocean-going autonomous underwater and surface vehicles, is relocating its manufacturing operations and headquarters from San Diego, Calif., to Gulfport. The project is a $4.65 million corporate investment and will create 45 jobs.

 

Expansion to bring hundreds of new jobs to Jackson County, Miss.

Superior Optical Lab is expanding its production and distribution center at the Sunplex Industrial Park, which is between Ocean Springs and Gautier, Miss. The $10 million expansion will grow their eyeglass manufacturing facility by more than 31,000 square feet. “Depending on how much we expand past this, the growth pattern will be 100, 200, maybe 300 employees,” said Superior Optical President and CEO Derek Bodart.

 

Precision Textiles opens 100-employee manufacturing facility in North Carolina

To better serve its customer base in the high-growth mattress industry, Precision Textiles has signed a lease for a new 160,000-square-foot, 25-acre campus in Troy, N.C. The facility — once a textiles production plant that serviced the automobile industry — is Precision Textiles’ first domestic manufacturing facility outside its New Jersey headquarters. The workforce of 100 at the facility will include new employees as well as staff from the company that previously operated the plant.

 

Crump Group to create 160 jobs in North Carolina

The Crump Group will locate its first U.S. production facility in Nash County, N.C. The Canadian manufacturer of pet treats will create 160 jobs and invest $13.2 million to outfit a new manufacturing and distribution center there.

 

Arconic investing over $100 million in Tennessee expansion

Aluminum manufacturer Arconic will invest more than $100 million to expand its operations in Blount County, Tenn. The project will support expanded capacity for manufacturing industrial and can sheet and bring 200 new jobs to Arconic’s Alcoa facility, where the company has operated for more than 100 years.

 

DHL delivers jobs in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky

DHL eCommerce Solutions will fill more than 200 new positions at its Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (CVG) distribution center. In addition, at the beginning of 2021, the company raised its hourly wages in CVG by approximately 30 percent, with starting pay ranging from $20.50 to $22.00 per hour.

 

Ostara expands to Missouri

Ostara will bring 40 new, high-paying jobs to the St. Louis region and make a $25 million capital investment in the establishment of a Crystal Green® fertilizer production facility in St. Louis, Mo. The facility will be the company’s largest in the U.S.

 

Patton Logistics Group expands Virginia operations

The Patton Logistics Group will invest $11 million to expand its trucking, logistics and warehousing operation in Pulaski County, creating 63 jobs. This expansion will include a trucking operations and maintenance center that will provide the infrastructure to support a future investment in electric trucks.

 

New Amazon facility for Coral Springs, Fla.

Amazon will open a new delivery station in Coral Springs Commerce Park, a project that will create 200 local jobs. Amazon purchased the property for $3.5 million but did not say when the facility would open.

 

Shenandoah Growers’ indoor farm bringing 50 new jobs to Anderson County, S.C.

Construction is beginning in Anderson County to make way for Shenandoah Growers’ indoor biofarm. The 100,000-square-foot facility will grow leafy greens and bring 50 jobs to the area.

 

McDonald’s hiring thousands in Central Florida amid worker shortage

McDonald’s announced it is opening up 650 new positions in Orlando and 5,000 across Central Florida in an effort to get more people to work this fall.

 

Tech firm GovOS moving HQ to Austin

GovOS, a company that provides digital tools for local governments, is moving its headquarters to Austin from Dallas, hoping to grow its operations by tapping the city’s high-tech talent pool. Its goal is to have 100 employees by the end of the year.

 

MD7 moving HQ to Allen, Texas

Ireland-based MD7, a mobile infrastructure consultancy, will relocate its corporate headquarters from San Diego, Calif., to Allen, Texas. The project will create 218 new jobs and more than $6.8 million in capital investment.

 

New medical center breaks ground in Whitley City, Ky.

Officials gathered recently in McCreary County to break ground on Cumberland Family Medical Center’s new First Choice medical complex in Whitley City, which will create approximately 50 new jobs.

 

New Corrigan OSB facility in Polk County, Texas

Corrigan OSB will establish a new production facility in Polk Count. The company is a subsidiary of RoyOMartin, a wood-products manufacturing and timber-management company headquartered in Alexandria, La. The project will create 50 new jobs and $211 million in capital investment.

 

PepsiCo to create 180 jobs in Poinciana, Fla.

In a move that nearly happened in 2019 and had been rumored to resurface this year, PepsiCo has formally announced plans to build a $180 million, 355,000-square-foot mega-fulfillment center that could employ 180 people in the Poinciana area of Osceola County.

 

Oatly will employ more than 100 in Fort Worth, Texas

Oatly, the world’s first oat drink maker, will employ more than 100 once it enters its new Fort Worth manufacturing center.

 

Kentucky logistics company will add 155 new jobs

Lexington, Ky.-based Quality Logistics, doing business as Longship, has opened its new office in Fayette County, a $4.3 million investment creating 155 jobs. Established in Lexington in 2012, Longship is a third-party logistics provider specializing in shipping fresh, frozen and dry products.

 

Amazon opens its $1.5 billion air hub in Kentucky

After more than four years of planning and construction, the Amazon Air Hub in northern Kentucky will serve as the central hub for Amazon Air’s U.S. cargo network. The $1.5 billion air hub is a major milestone for Amazon Air, which launched in 2016.

 

Amazon-backed Rivian in talks for $5 billion Texas plant

Rivian Automotive, the electric-vehicle startup backed by Amazon, is in talks to invest at least $5 billion to build a factory near Fort Worth. The facility would be able to produce 200,000 vehicles a year and would create at least 7,500 jobs by 2027.

 

Amazon selects Tallahassee, Fla., for robotics fulfillment center

Amazon has announced plans to bring a new 630,000-square-foot robotic fulfillment center to Leon County and is expected to open in 2022. The project will generate 1,346 full-time jobs and 2,256 construction jobs and represents a $200 million investment by Amazon.

 

Accudraft establishing operations in Aiken County, S.C.

Accudraft Finishing Systems, a global finishing systems company, announced plans to establish operations in Aiken County. The $4.7 million investment will create 42 new jobs. Accudraft makes finishing systems and paint booths for the automotive, aircraft, marine vessel and railcar industries.

 

Interfor reopens sawmill in DeQuincy, La

Interfor Corporation, a wood products company, plans to invest up to $8 million to revive the idled Georgia Pacific sawmill near DeQuincy. The project is expected to create 170 jobs. Interfor recently acquired the Georgia Pacific facility, which was idled in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

$40 million steel plant planned for Madison, Ala.

Three companies are collaborating on a $40 million factory in Madison to supply needed steel components for auto manufacturers. Madison Metal Processing will begin later this year supplying steel blanks – the precursor for automotive surface body parties – for Mazda Toyota Manufacturing in Huntsville, as well as other automotive suppliers. The factory will hire about 40.

 

New Coal operation bringing hope to Wyoming County, W.Va.

Plans are moving forward with a project to open a metallurgical coal mine and prep plant in Wyoming County. Consol Energy first announced in 2019 plans to open a mine just outside of Mullens by 2021. The project was delayed because of the pandemic, but is now moving forward, according to a representative from the company. The coalmine, along with a prep plant, is expected to open by 2022, employing up to 150 people.

 

Canadian manufacturer heading to Greenville, S.C.

MECART, a leader in cleanroom environments and a manufacturer of modular buildings, will invest $2 million to establish operations in Greenville. The company plans to create 50 jobs.

 

BILSTEIN GROUP expands plant in Bowling Green, Ky.

German-owned steel processor BILSTEIN GROUP has begun construction of a $17.8 million expansion at its campus in the Kentucky Transpark in Bowling Green. The project is expected to create 120 full-time jobs and increase production of cold-rolled steel strips.

 

Manufacturer to invest $1.25 million in Winchester, Va.

Winchester-based Evolve Manufacturing, a producer of composite productions and reproductions, will invest $1.25 million to enlarge its plant in Frederick County, creating 84 jobs. The company is expanding its Evolve Stone line.

 

$130 million manufacturing facility coming to Opelika, Ala.

An investment of $130 million is coming to Opelika by way of a new manufacturing facility for Hanwha Cimarron, a producer of filament-wound carbon fiber tanks and pressure vessels relating to the aerospace, marine, drone, rail, and gas transport industries. The investment will create 261 jobs for the Lee County city.

 

Pratt Industries expands plant in Albany, Ga.

Corrugated packaging company Pratt Industries will invest more than $18 million to expand its corrugated box converting plant in Albany. The project is expected to create 30 jobs.

 

Amazon announces first fulfillment center in St. Lucie County, Fla.

Amazon has announced plans to open a fulfillment center in Port St. Lucie. The site, which is anticipated to launch in 2022, will create more than 500 full-time jobs that pay at least $15 per hour.

 

$120 million data center planned for Auburn, Ala.

A firm founded by Auburn businessmen is planning to create a $120 million data center there. AUBix is building the 40,000-square-foot facility just off the campus of Auburn University.

 

Diode Dynamics builds HQ in St. Charles, Mo.

Automotive LED lighting manufacturer Diode Dynamics is constructing a 70,000-square-foot headquarters facility on 10 acres in St. Charles. The project is expected to create 36 new jobs and the company will move all of its existing employees from Earth City, Mo.

 

Oldcastle APG expands plant in Clarksville, Tenn.

A manufacturer of concrete building and hardscape products, Oldcastle APG, will invest $10.2 million to expand operations in Clarksville. The project is expected to create 45 new jobs.

 

R.A. Jones to upgrade Kentucky facility

R.A. Jones & Co., a designer and manufacturer of packaging equipment, will upgrade its Kenton County facility with a $2 million investment that will create 20 high-wage jobs.

 

Whisper Aero to locate HQ in Cumberland County, Tenn.

Whisper Aero will establish new operations and locate its headquarters in Crossville. The technology startup is focused on developing the next generation of quiet, electric thrusters for drones, aircraft, and eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing) and will create 47 new jobs over the next five years at its Crossville headquarters.

 

Amgen to invest $550 million in North Carolina biologics facility

Amgen plans to build a new biologics production facility in in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. . .a $550 million project that will create 355 jobs. Amgen is a biopharmaceutical company that pioneered the use of recombinant DNA technology four decades ago to become a global leader treating a wide range of diseases.

 

Consolidated Machine and Welding expands in Missouri

A metal fabrication shop that provides state-of-the-art laser technology for customized products, Consolidated Machine and Welding, will expand its facility in Hannibal, Mo. The $4.3 million project is expected to create 30 new jobs.

 

Firestone breaks ground on Kentucky project

A global auto parts supplier has broken ground on a $51 million project adding 250 jobs at a rural Kentucky plant in an expansion tied to auto industry plans to ramp up electric vehicle production. Firestone Industrial Products was joined by state and local officials as construction officially began on the expansion in Williamsburg, Ky. The project is largely geared toward producing air suspension systems for electric vehicles.

 

AITX Railcar Services expands in Brookhaven, Miss.

Railcar leasing and repair services provider AITX Railcar Services will spend $23.36 million to expand its operations complex in Brookhaven. The project is expected to create 75 jobs.

 

Soft-Tex International opens Sugar Land, Texas, manufacturing plant

Soft-Tex International, a producer of bedding and home comfort products, has opened its new 170,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Sugar Land. The project is expected to create 150 jobs in 2021.

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