October 2025

Alabama

 

Alabama defense sector enters a new era of strategic growth

When it comes to national defense, Alabama is not just keeping pace — it’s accelerating the trajectory. With the announcement that the U.S. Space Command will be based at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, the state enters a new frontier of strategic importance.

 

The decision, made official in the summer quarter by the Trump Administration, caps a multi-year campaign to recognize Alabama’s aerospace and defense capability, positioning Redstone at the nucleus of space-based military operations. Around 1,400 new Space Command jobs are expected to transition to Huntsville over the next five years.

 

Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal already hosts the Army Materiel Command, Missile Defense Agency, the Army Space and Missile Defense Command and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. In addition, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and other defense companies have a major presence in Huntsville.

 

“Huntsville is the perfect choice for U.S. Space Command headquarters,” said Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “The region offers a rare combination of mission-critical infrastructure, a highly skilled workforce and a deep legacy of innovation in aerospace and defense.

 

Meta to add $700 million more to Alabama data center project 

Meta plans an expansion of its data center project in Montgomery, Ala. The expansion will bring its Alabama capital region investment to $1.5 billion. Meta first announced an $800 million investment in April of 2024. 

 

Georgia-Pacific to invest $800 million in Alabama River cellulose mill

Georgia-Pacific announced that it plans to invest $800 million to modernize, expand and streamline the production capabilities of the company’s Alabama River Cellulose mill, making the Monroe County facility the largest softwood pulp mill in the U.S.

 

California-based Glaukos breaks ground in Huntsville on $80 million plant

California-based Glaukos, a pharma that specializes in eye diseases, broke ground on a new 200,000-square-foot facility in Huntsville, Ala. The deal is expected to generate 150 new jobs. 

 

Owens Corning to place manufacturing facility in Prattville, Ala. 

Building products leader Owens Corning is constructing a new shingle manufacturing center in Prattville, located just north of Montgomery. The plant will have a capacity of 6 million squares of laminate shingles per year and is expected to house 100 workers. 

 

PDW opens high-tech drone factory in Alabama, eyes 500 jobs

Performance Drone Works, a fast-rising force in next-generation unmanned aircraft systems, officially opened Drone Factory 01 in August -- a 90,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal that vastly expands the company’s production capacity and positions it to meet growing demand from U.S. and allied defense forces. The project, an investment of $81 million, is expected to create 500 new jobs. 

 

Metal fabricator sets up shop in Alabama

Choice Fabricators, a metals manufacturer, is expanding its operations in Rainbow City, Ala. The company has purchased two new 1,500-ton stamping presses. The investment of $15 million will create 30 jobs. 

 

Steel manufacturer expanding in South Alabama

SSAB will expand its Axis, Ala., facility to increase capacity to produce high-strength steel brands such as Hardox. The $74 million deal will generate 12 new jobs. 

 

L3 Harris expands in Huntsville

L3 Harris Technologies is expanding its plant in Huntsville. The $20 million project will create 140 jobs. 

 

Tennessee metal fabricator announces new facility in Limestone County 

Loftis Steel & Aluminum announced in August it will locate a new fabrication facility west of Huntsville in Limestone County. The $6.5 million deal will create 20 new jobs. 

 

Arkansas

 

Google breaks ground on largest investment deal in Arkansas history

California-based Google broke ground on October 2 on its $4 billion data center in West Memphis. The project will focus on Google’s cloud and AI infrastructure.  

 

Nidec Motor to expand in Arkansas

Nidec Motor Corporation is expanding its existing facility in Mena, Ark. The manufacturer of electric motors is investing $19 million and adding 35 new jobs. 

 

CANTEX to locate in Nashville, Ark. 

The manufacturer of electrical conduit and fittings will invest $120 million in the deal that will generate 110 jobs. 

 

 

Amazon to establish operations in Little Rock

Amazon is locating a logistics operation in Little Rock. The new 930,000-square-foot facility will house 1,000 workers. 

 

Wayne-Sanderson Farms expanding in rural Arkansas

Poultry processor Wayne-Sanderson Farms has expanded its facilities in Danville, Ark., with a new feed mill. The $43 million project will increase feed production to produce more than 8,500 tons per week. 

 

Florida

 

Big AI project lands in South Florida

California-based workflow automation firm ServiceNow is bringing 850 jobs to West Palm Beach. The company uses artificial intelligence to automate workflows for businesses and will use its AI Institute office in Palm Beach County as its regional headquarters.

 

Israeli medical manufacturer to open HQ in Manatee County

Ossio, a manufacturer of metal-free implants, is opening its new headquarters and manufacturing facility in Manatee County, south of St. Petersburg, Fla. The deal is expected to result in 100 new jobs. 

 

Playboy to relocate HQ from Los Angeles to Miami Beach

The iconic Playboy brand is relocating its global headquarters from LA to Miami Beach. The company will locate at the top of a luxury office building and the facility will include studios, a restaurant and an exclusive Playboy Club. About 150 jobs are expected to be created. 

 

Chromalloy opens $30 million plant in Tampa Bay

Aerospace giant Chromalloy cut the ribbon on its new $30 million Belac Coatings plant in Oldsmar, Fla. The project will create 250 jobs. 

 

Comcast is expanding in Palm Beach

Global communications and media firm Comcast is generating 200 jobs in West Palm Beach. The company is investing nearly $6 million in the deal. 

 

Swiss software firm to establish new innovation hub in Orlando

Temenos, a software firm that sells its product to the financial services industry, is setting up shop in Orlando. The project will generate 50 jobs. 

 

Big aerospace deal in Jacksonville

Otto Aviation plans to build a new 850,000-square-foot manufacturing operation at Cecil Airport to assemble the company’s Phantom 3500 jet. The $430 million project is expected to produce almost 400 jobs. 

 

New HQ capture for Miami

The Swiss-based pharmaceutical firm, Galderma, is establishing its new U.S. headquarters in the Brickell neighborhood of Miami. The deal will generate 150 new jobs. 

 

Georgia

 

Hyundai announces expansion of metaplant that ICE raided in September

Mere weeks after an immigration operation at Hyundai’s largest North American plant in the Savannah, Ga., metro, officials with the South Korean automaker announced a major expansion of the massive complex. 

 

The raid created headlines around the world as President Trump’s immigration crackdown continued, this time at one of the largest single investments made in the U.S. in the last decade. 

 

The latest announcement included an additional investment of $2.7 billion to expand its Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) and 3,000 additional jobs. This expansion is in addition to the multiple billions already spent on the unfinished facilities that already ring Southeast Georgia with supplier operations. 

 

This latest expansion (200,000 more units by 2028) by the Koreans in Georgia seems to be an effort to go the route of BMW’s plant in Upstate South Carolina, where in any given year, 60 to 70 percent of luxury SUVs assembled there are exported. That plant was announced in 1992, and Mercedes-Benz followed with its plant in Tuscaloosa, Ala., a year later. Mercedes exports about the same amount of cars as BMW each year to locales all over the world. 

 

Gov. Kemp: Korean magnet facility to create more than 500 jobs in Columbus

Governor Brian Kemp announced this past summer that JS Link America Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of JS Link, intends to invest about $223 million to establish a new rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing facility in Columbus. The new facility will create more than 520 new jobs in Muscogee County, Ga.

 

“JS Link America strengthens Georgia’s role in securing the U.S. supply chain in industries such as aerospace, mobility and energy,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “We are excited for the continued growth of manufacturing in West Georgia, and congratulations to Columbus-Muscogee County on this opportunity.”

 

Founded originally in 2000, JS Link is a Korean biotechnology company that specializes in research and development. The company has expanded its business to include the production of permanent magnets, which are a critical component in a vast array of industries including automobiles, wind turbines, elevators, home appliances, medical industry, robotics, Urban Air Mobility (UAM), data centers and consumer electronics, as well as defense systems. 

 

Ammo manufacturer creating jobs in Georgia

Underwood Ammo, which makes ammunition for handguns and rifles, announced it will invest $41 million in a new facility in Effingham, Ga. The project will generate 120 new jobs. 

 

Metal recycling plant comes to life in Augusta metro

Richmond County, Ga., celebrated the opening of Aurubis’ multi-metal recycling plant in late summer. The plant will turn cooper, tin, nickel and other metals into other products. 

 

Hyundai supplier expanding in Georgia

Sewon America, which operates several facilities in the Southern Automotive Corridor, is investing $50 million to add 100,000 square feet to its plant in Rincon, Ga. The announcement will create 100 jobs. 

 

EnergyTek investing $275 million in rural Georgia

A company that makes electricity infrastructure for utility scale customers is locating a plant in Moultrie, Ga. EnergyTek will invest $275 million to establish a new facility in Colquitt County that will house a total of 1,300 workers. 

 

Belgium manufacturer to create 200 jobs in Gordon County

Governor Brian Kemp announced in August that Stow Group, a leading industrial storage and automation solution company, will invest $36 million to establish a new manufacturing presence and create approximately 200 new jobs in Gordon County.

 

PBS Aerospace establishes HQ in metro Atlanta

PBS, a manufacturer of small turbojet engines, is investing about $20 million to establish its North American headquarters, manufacturing and R&D operations in Roswell, Ga. The deal will create at least 95 jobs. 

 

Automaker Stellantis investing in new Georgia distribution center

Stellantis (formerly Chrysler) is investing $41 million in a Mopar Parts distribution center in Forsyth, Ga. The company is building a new 442,000-square-foot facility that will house 90 union jobs. 

 

TOTO opens luxury toilet plant in Georgia

Japan-based TOTO, one of the largest plumbing manufacturers in the world, has opened its $224 million factory in Morrow, Ga. Interestingly, no jobs were reported in the deal, as hundreds of robots have been installed. 

 

Kentucky            

 

Nice deal in rural Barren County

Union Coating & Chemical announced it will establish is first operation in the U.S. with a new plant in Barren County. The Egyptian manufacturer will invest $12 million and create 60 new jobs. 

 

HealthTrackRx set to create 230 jobs in Louisville

Infectious disease lab HealthTrackRx has opened its new operation in Louisville. The project will include a $45 million investment and 230 full-time jobs. 

 

Gov. Beshear highlights 10-day economic summer quarter win streak with over $6.3 billion invested and more than 1,000 jobs

In August, Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted an economic winning streak for Kentucky, with more than $6.3 billion in new investment and over 1,000 full-time jobs announced by four iconic companies in less than two weeks. “There isn’t anything political about a good job or a strong economy, and Kentucky is seeing incredible success as we prioritize what’s right and create more opportunity than ever before for our people,” said Gov. Beshear. “With iconic companies like Ford, GE Appliances, General Matter and Apple choosing to invest here, we’re showing the world that our commonwealth is the best place to do business. The best thing is we’re providing more good-paying jobs for Kentuckians so their families can live better lives.” Over two weeks in August, Gov. Beshear highlighted major investments by Ford, GE Appliances, General Matter and Apple.

 

AI-powered Vsimple relocating HQ from Indiana to Louisville

Automated workflow firm Vsimple is investing $5 million and relocating its headquarters to Louisville, a growing innovation market in the South. The deal will create 200 jobs. 

 

Uranium enrichment company picks Paducah

General Matter will invest $1.5 billion in Paducah, Ky., for uranium enrichment at the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The plant will produce fuel used in next-generation nuclear energy. The project will create 140 jobs. 

 

GE Appliances investing big in Kentucky

GE Appliances, a Haier company, announced a new $3 billion investment in its U.S. manufacturing operations over the next five years, highlighted by the company’s $490 million project at Louisville’s Appliance Park announced earlier this year.

 

Ford announces $2 billion commitment to secure 2,200 jobs in Kentucky

Gov. Andy Beshear joined Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley, other company executives and local officials to announce a monumental investment by one of Kentucky’s largest employers -- a nearly $2 billion commitment that will introduce an innovative manufacturing process at the Louisville Assembly Plant to serve as the platform for an all-new, yet to be unveiled, electric mid-size pickup truck. 

 

The project is the third-largest economic development project in Kentucky’s history, as four of the five largest private-sector investments have now been announced during the Beshear Administration.

 

The new low-cost, scalable EV platform is expected to be completed by Q2 2027.

 

Ford’s presence in Kentucky dates back to 1913 when the Model T first rolled off the production line in Louisville. In the 112 years since, the company has grown its presence in the commonwealth to employ nearly 12,000 people in addition to nearly 6,000 retirees. 

 

Louisiana       

 

Drone manufacturing plant set for Lafayette

DMR Technologies announced at this issue’s deadline that it will establish its first full-scale U.S. manufacturing facility in Lafayette Parish. There it will assemble the Field Ranger X50 unmanned aerial systems for the U.S. market. DMR expects to hire about 500 in the deal over the course of 10 years. 

 

Big defense deal in rural Louisiana

Radiance Technologies, a defense contractor, will build a new 40,000-square-foot facility in Lincoln Parish. The facility will house microchip packaging and research and development, as well as 150 workers. The company is investing $370 million. 

 

B-52 maintenance facility to add jobs in Northwest Louisiana

VRC Metal Systems, a MRO, will build a maintenance facility for B-52 aircraft at the Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, La. The company announced that it will hire 21 workers. 

 

South Korean defense and automotive player selects Louisiana

South Korea-based SNT Motiv and SNT Energy are investing $59 million to establish the companies’ first U.S. consolidated facility at the former Trinity Marine building in West Baton Rouge Parish. The announcement accounts for the generation of 275 jobs. 

 

Meta’s giant data center in Northeast Louisiana gets power green light

Meta Platform’s massive data center at the former Franklin Farms megasite in Richland Parish will be fueled by two of the three combined-cycle natural gas generating energy plants, two of which will power the AI-based data center. Entergy will build the three power plants. 

 

Hood Container announces $118.9 million modernization project at historic paper mill in St. Francisville

Hood Container Corporation, a family-owned packaging and paper company, announced it will invest $118.9 million to modernize its legacy paper mill in West Feliciana Parish, allowing the company to significantly boost production capacity and quality to meet evolving market demands.

 

The company is expected to retain 295 current positions with an estimated salary more than 30 percent above the parish average. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 819 indirect new jobs. 

 

Industrial construction company is adding jobs in Louisiana

PALA Interstate LLC, is expanding in Livingston Parish. The $1.9 million deal will create 14 jobs. 

 

Mississippi

 

Florida-based Jabil plans new facility in Marshall County

Jabil, a St. Pete-based healthcare firm and manufacturer of medical devices, has announced a nice project in Marshall County, near Memphis’ significant medical device cluster. The $70 million project will initially create around 24 jobs. 

 

Packager expanding in Mississippi

Paper and packaging manufacturer Smurfit Westrock is expanding its corrugated operations in Saltillo, Miss. The company is investing nearly $20 million in the deal. 

 

 

Canadian chemical manufacturer to set up shop Mississippi

Canada-based chemical manufacturer Mancuso Chemicals is locating in Pachuta, Miss. The $5.5 million project will create 17 jobs in Clarke County. 

 

Big wood products deal in rural Mississippi

Hood Industries is expanding its sawmill operations in Wayne County, Miss. The new mill, adjacent to the company’s existing mill, represents an investment of $245 million. 

 

North Carolina

 

JetZero is on the fast-track for massive next generation airliner plant in Greensboro

Greensboro is a few steps closer to becoming one of the South’s largest aviation cluster markets. 

 

In the summer quarter, JetZero’s president and COO Dan Da Silva outlined some timelines for what will amount to a $5 billion complex like those seen in Charleston (Boeing) and Mobile (Airbus), two of only a handful of final airliner assembly markets in the country including Seattle (Boeing). 

 

Late in the summer quarter, Da Silva announced some key developments at a Greensboro Chamber of Commerce event. 

 

• Ground is expected to be broken on the site adjacent to the Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI) by the second quarter of 2026. 

• At the event, Da Silva said, “The power infrastructure to Duke Energy to water to the land prep and everything that goes into putting a factory like that together” (is underway). 

• JetZero’s agreements with PTI and the state are not finalized as of Labor Day. 

• The first employees to be hired will be administrative and engineering. 

• The next step will focus on composite R&D, followed by building the elements of the airplane, which is scheduled for 2027. 

 

JetZero’s next generation airliner will have better lift and less drag, which will allow the aircraft to burn 50 percent less fuel per passenger than any other airliner produced today. 

 

Da Silva also said JetZero will be employing more than the 14,500 workers. Those employees will be housed in the massive factory and its headquarters adjacent to it. 

 

Citigroup adding jobs in Charlotte

Banking giant Citigroup has signed a new lease at the big Ballantyne office park south of Charlotte. The $16 million project will create over 500 jobs. 

 

Walmart plans $300 million project in Charlotte region

Walmart is taking a 1.3 million-square-foot spec building at the Kings Mountain Corporate Center in Gaston County, N.C. The deal will create 300 jobs. 

 

Hanes, the apparel giant, was started in 1901 by John Wesley Hanes in Winston-Salem, N.C. The company, originally Shamrock Knitting Mills, has remained in the city throughout its history as it grew from a hosiery manufacturer into the global apparel company Hanesbrands Inc. Through an acquisition by Gildan Activewear in a transaction valued at $2.2 billion, Hanes will no longer be headquartered in North Carolina’s “Twin City.” 

 

Update on Durham-based Wolfspeed’s giant plant in Chatham County

In a new filing in late August, semiconductor supplier Wolfspeed disclosed how it plans to emerge from Chapter 11 filing. In June, the company had around 3,400 employees, down from 5,000 in June 2024, after multiple layoffs affecting both its main campus in Durham and the new Chatham County materials facility. 

 

Founded in 1987 under the name of Cree, Wolfspeed today produces a distinctive semiconductor material called silicon carbide. The substance is used in electric vehicles, charging stations and renewable energy storage units. In late August, Wolfspeed CEO Robert Feurle said Wolfspeed expects to emerge from bankruptcy this year “with a much stronger financial structure.” 

 

Whoa! Big pharma project announced in the Research Triangle

In the late summer quarter, Johnson & Johnson announced it will invest $2 billion at the former Fujifilm’s Research Triangle plant in Holly Springs, N.C. The project will create 120 jobs. 

 

Automotive supplier to invest $51 million in rural North Carolina

TMG & Haartz Solutions is establishing a new footprint in Bostic, N.C. The $51 million announcement will create 125 jobs. 

 

Japanese auto supplier is building in Charlotte

Asahi Kasei is investing in a new coating facility in Charlotte. The company will supply Toyota Tsusho America with lithium-ion battery separators for Toyota’s battery plant in Randolph County, N.C. 

Governor Stein announces 515 new jobs in Western North Carolina

Governor Josh Stein announced in August that Eco King Solutions, LLC, a new subsidiary of a major manufacturer, plans to create 515 jobs in Graham County. The company will invest $80.5 million in Robbinsville to establish its first North American production facility to produce disposable, biodegradable paper tableware.

 

Nucor starts operations in Davidson County, N.C. 

Charlotte-based steelmaker Nucor started operations at its new $350 million mill in Lexington, N.C. So far, 139 people out of the 200 announced for the facility have been hired. 

 

Oklahoma

 

Electric motor manufacturer to expand in Oklahoma

The Pump & Motor Works, a maker of large electric motors and pumps, is expanding its operations in Okmulgee, Okla. The $2.8 million deal will create 18 jobs. 

 

MRO expands in rural Oklahoma

Premium Aerospace, a maintenance, repair and overhaul company, is expanding its facilities in Burns Flat, Okla. The investment of $65 million will create 200 jobs. 

 

Oklahoma shatters record with almost $14 billion in new capital investment

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce announced in the summer that the state has set a record for new capital investment, with a 2025 year-to-date total of more than $13.7 billion. This surpasses the previous record, set in 2023, of approximately $8 billion.

 

“Oklahoma’s turnaround started in 2019, and now our state’s economic future is brighter than ever,” said Governor Stitt. “Top-tier companies around the world see what’s happening in our state, and they are lining up to reinvest and do business in Oklahoma. We’ve cut taxes and red tape, created business courts, and now we’re seeing the hard work pay off with almost $14 billion in new capital investment.”

 

The announcement follows Google’s commitment to invest $9 billion in Oklahoma over the next two years, including the construction of a new data center in Stillwater. The record total also reflects the contributions of more than 200 existing companies across Oklahoma that are partnering with the state to expand and grow through the Oklahoma Innovation Expansion Program (OIEP) or the Business Expansion Incentive Program (BEIP).

 

South Carolina

 

Eaton expanding in Charleston County

Eaton, an intelligent power management company, announced it is expanding its aerospace operations in Charleston County, S.C. The company’s $46 million investment will create more than 50 jobs. 

 

ZF Chassis expanding in automotive-rich Spartanburg County

ZF Chassis Systems, a major automotive supplier, is expanding its plant in Spartanburg 
County, home to BMW’s largest plant. The expansion is significant, as the company is adding nearly 500,000 square feet of space. The deal will create 30 jobs. 

 

Fine Organic Industries to invest $135 million in Union County

Specialty additives manufacturer Fine Organic Industries is establishing operations in Jonesville, S.C. The $135 million project will create 60 jobs. 

 

Charles River Laboratories expands Charleston County operations

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (Charles River), a leading global drug discovery, development, testing and manufacturing solutions provider, announced it is expanding its operations in Charleston County. The company is investing $13 million in its microbial solutions facility.

 

Manufacturing facility will house 70 new workers

Texas-based ATI Inc., a global aerospace and defense leader, celebrated its growth in South Carolina with a new operation in Chesterfield County. At full production capacity, the facility will operate with a workforce of nearly 70 newly created jobs. The company recently announced long-term agreements with Airbus and Boeing for materials produced at this facility.

 

Tennessee        

 

Nuclear technology company to invest nearly $1.7 billion in Oak Ridge

Oklo Inc., an advanced nuclear technology company, will create more than 800 new jobs with its announcement of an advanced fuel center and nuclear fuel recycling facility. The company is investing $1.6 billion in the project.

 

Oh, what a great deal for Unicoi County, Tenn.!

Unicoi County, its town and main industrial park devastated by hurricane Helene a year ago, has landed its first big deal since. Gov. Bill Lee and economic development commissioner Stuart McWhorter announced in late summer that BWXT will expand its operations in Unicoi, located in the major manufacturing region of the Northeast Tennessee Valley. 

 

BWXT, a nuclear power-related business that has created fuel for U.S. Navy submarines and aircraft carriers, is investing $120 million and adding about 200 jobs in the project. The BWXT subsidiary, Nuclear Fuel Services, has operated in Erwin, Tenn., since the 1950s. Way to go Unicoi County!

 

MAHLE GmbH investing $10 million in Morristown

Germany-based automotive supplier MAHLE GmbH is expanding its factory in Hamblen County to produce electric compressors used on fuel cell electric vehicles. The company will add 50 jobs to the 750 that are housed there now. 

 

Hitachi Energy to expand manufacturing operations in Crockett County

Hitachi Energy officials announced in August the company is expanding manufacturing operations in Alamo, Tenn. Hitachi Energy will invest an initial $97 million and create 100 new jobs through the project with plans for future growth. The additional investment in Alamo will allow the company to expand its manufacturing presence, increasing its total capacity for transformer components such as high-voltage direct current bushings across the globe. 

 

Texas        

 

Eli Lilly and Company announces another multi-billion plant in the U.S.; this one in Houston

After a similar announcement in the summer in Virginia, Eli Lilly announced it will invest $6.5 billion to build a 236-acre manufacturing facility in Generation Park in Houston. The plant will produce active pharmaceutical ingredients, components in Lilly’s medicines. The project is expected to create 4,000 jobs. Houston was chosen (as was Virginia, in Lilly’s deal parade that is expected to total a couple of more comparable projects this year) from 300 competing U.S. locations. The new San Jacinto College Center for Biotechnology was mentioned as a factor in the deal. 

 

Samsung’s Taylor, Texas plant in a rush to open in Austin metro

The rush to bring advanced AI chips to the U.S. market can be found in Williamson County, Texas, where South Korea-based Samsung is finishing up its plant representing an investment of tens of billions. Originally a $17 billion deal, Samsung has announced it will invest up to $44 billion in Central Texas at its plants in Austin and adjacent Taylor, Texas. In the late summer quarter, the state of Texas gave the massive Korean conglomerate another $250 million in incentives. The giant plant is expected to begin production in 2026. 

 

Houston leads nation in clean energy job growth

Oil-company-headquarter-rich Houston led the nation in clean energy jobs in calendar year 2024. “Space City’s” job growth in clean energy grew by 20.7 percent in 2024. 

 

Nearly $4.4 billion in Texas clean energy investments canceled in first half of 2025

Due to federal policy changes, Texas companies canceled over $4 billion in publicly announced solar and battery projects in the first six months of this year, according to the Rhodium Group. Rhodium also stated that nationwide, for the first time, canceled investments have exceeded new investments in the sector nationwide. 

 

Satellite manufacturer E-Space to put HQ, thousands of jobs at Arlington, Texas airport

French satellite manufacturing company E-Space is moving forward with plans to put its North American headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Arlington. The company plans to make and deploy a network of low Earth orbit satellites. The company announced it is creating 2,000 jobs in the deal. 

 

Another big aerospace deal in Richardson

Collins Aerospace, a supplier for defense and aerospace contractors, is expanding its facilities in Richardson, Texas. The expansion will include the renovation of the company’s research and manufacturing operations. The $57 million project will create 570 new positions. 

 

Wistron, one of the world’s largest electronics manufacturers, announced big deal at Fort Worth’s Alliance Airport

Fort Worth has won out over El Paso, Nashville and Freemont, Calif., for Wistron’s $761 million AI supercomputer factory. The project will create 800 jobs. The company is a Nvidia partner. 

 

Three Houston LNG companies to greenlight Gulf Coast LNG export facilities by the end of the year

In a report from the Business Journals, Houston-based Sempra Infrastructure, Commonwealth LNG and Texas LNG are expected to start up their projects this year. 

 

Aluminum recovery firm will establish operations in Titus County, Texas

Aluminz Corporation plans to develop the nation’s first zero-landfill aluminum facility in Mount Pleasant, Texas. The project is expected to create 130 jobs. 

 

Sam Altman’s OpenAI to occupy $3 billion data center in rural Texas

Sam Altman’s OpenAI has announced a new data center in Milam County, Texas. No word on jobs.  

 

New data center planned for Jarrell, Texas

Spending to build the data center north of Austin is set at $850 million. The project will create 50 jobs and 400 construction jobs. 

 

Taiwanese tech giant Inventec picks Katy, Texas, for $85 million plant

Electronics manufacturer Inventec announced a manufacturing operation in Katy. The $55 million project will create more than 500 jobs (in 10 years).

 

Canada-based company to relocate to Austin

HydroGraph Clean Power, which produces a substance called graphene, is relocating its headquarters and operations to Austin. Forty jobs are expected to be created. 

 

Houston loses 30,500 jobs in July

As layoffs continue to mount Southern-wide and nation-wide, Houston’s energy sector has been hit hard, losing over 30,000 in one month this summer. 

 

ExxonMobil may delay or cancel its large-scale Baytown, Texas, hydrogen project

Houston-based ExxonMobil is considering canceling its blue hydrogen project due to changes in the 45V hydrogen tax credit under the “Big, Beautiful Bill” signed by President Trump. The legislation imposed a shorter 2028 deadline for projects to begin construction to receive the tax credits. 

 

Virginia           

 

Eli Lilly and Company announce major investment in Virginia

Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Company, the most valuable drug company in the world with an $842 billion market capitalization, has announced it will invest $5 billion in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Goochland County, Va. The county is located in the Richmond metropolitan area. 

 

Gov. Glenn Youngkin said about the project, “Lilly is one of the world’s great innovators, and I want to thank them for this significant commitment to Virginia. This new facility in Goochland County will create 650 great jobs, along with 1,800 construction jobs, and deliver some of the most advanced medicines in Lilly’s portfolio.” 

 

Big deal in NOVA; Alexandria and Fairfax

Systems Planning & Analysis, a government contractor based in Alexandria, Va., plans to invest $47 million to increase its presence in Fairfax County as well as its home base of Alexandria. Founded in 1972, the company provides data and analytics services designed to address national security challenges facing the United States and its allies. The announcement calls for 1,200 new jobs in both Northern Virginia locales. 

 

Nice project landing in Martinsville-Henry County

Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Nathan Trotter, the leading supplier and recycler of tin and tin alloy products in North America, will invest approximately $65 million to construct Tin Ridge, a first-of-its-kind metal production and processing facility in Henry County. The company selected a strategic 44-acre site north of Martinsville for the 115,000-square-foot tin processing facility, which will significantly increase American tin supply and recycling capabilities. At full capacity, Tin Ridge is expected to create an estimated 118 new jobs in the Commonwealth.

 

“Nathan Trotter’s investment in Henry County is a powerful example of how Virginia is leading the way in advanced manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura. “By bringing the nation’s first large-scale tin processing facility to the Commonwealth, this project ensures the future of American manufacturing is powered by Virginia workers. We are proud to welcome such a historic and forward-looking company to the Commonwealth.”

 

The U.S. government has declared tin a critical mineral due to its role in solder used in circuit boards and electronics components for countless commercial and government applications, including critical defense systems, smartphones, flat panel displays, electric vehicles, batteries, advanced robotics and aerospace technologies.

 

To address the nation’s dependence on tin imports, Nathan Trotter will develop and operate the nation’s first plant capable of refining noteworthy volumes of both tin concentrate and scrap tin in support of the U.S. economy and defense industrial base. The cutting-edge facility has also been designed to utilize the most advanced and environmentally friendly technology, enabling successful operations into the future.  

 

Google investing $9 billion across Virginia

Google announced in the summer quarter it will invest $9 billion in Virginia through the end of 2026. The project will include a new data center in Chesterfield County, Va., and expansion of its existing centers in Loudoun and Prince William Counties. Part of the investment is to shape the future through AI and quantum computing.  

 

Hitachi Energy announces big project in South Boston, Va. 

Hitachi Energy is investing $457 million to expand its power transformer production plant in South Boston. Over 800 jobs are expected to be created. 

 

Fulfillment company sets up shop in Pittsylvania County

MerryGoRound​​, ​a North Carolina-based fulfillment company specializing in ​apparel ​and collectibles, will invest $10 million to establish operations in Pittsylvania County. The company will utilize a 400,000-square-foot facility to support its growing live commerce division, creating 203 new jobs. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina and Puerto Rico for the project.

 

Cailabs relocates U.S. HQ to Arlington County

Cailabs US Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of the French company Cailabs SAS specializing in the design and manufacturing of advanced laser-light products, will invest $300,000 to relocate their U.S. headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Arlington County.