December 2025

National

 

Morgan Stanley estimates that global investment in A.I. data centers and related industries could reach $3 trillion by the end of 2028

The global financial services firm that provides investment banking, wealth management, investment management, and sales and trading services to corporations, governments, institutions, and individuals projects that global data center capacity will need to increase by approximately six times over the next three years. That is just to support A.I. growth. 

 

A.I. firms and their stocks, according to the BBC, have surged in the last year, “accounting for more than 80 percent of America’s economic growth.” As of the end of October, for the first time ever, data centers led all industry sectors meeting or exceeding 200 jobs and/or $30 million in investment in the South. At the same time, financial services and the automotive industry have reduced their project totals compared to the last 34 years in jobs and investments meeting those thresholds. 

 

Regional

 

Toyota investing nearly $1 billion in the Southern Automotive Corridor

Japanese automaker Toyota is investing $912 billion in its existing facilities in Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee. It has already made a huge announcement at its plant in Limestone County, Ala., to increase its drivetrain production. 

 

From the Toyota report: 

Toyota’s U.S. manufacturing presence is expanding again to meet growing demand for hybrid vehicles. As a part of Toyota’s recent commitment to invest up to $10 billion in the U.S. over the next five years, the company announces a $912 million investment and 252 new jobs across five manufacturing plants to increase hybrid capacity and bring hybrid-electric Corollas to its production lineup.

 

A state-by-state look at Toyota’s new investments, totaling $912 million and 252 new jobs:

Toyota West Virginia: $453 million, 80 jobs
Toyota’s plant in Buffalo, W.V., will add 80 jobs to increase assembly of 4-cylinder hybrid-compatible engines, sixth-generation hybrid transaxles and rear motor stators. The expansion, which will begin production in 2027, also includes new shift patterns for greater efficiency. Toyota West Virginia assembles more than 1 million engines, transmissions and hybrid transaxles annually and represents a $3.3 billion investment.

 

Toyota Kentucky: $204.4 million, 82 jobs
Toyota’s largest plant globally, located in Georgetown, Ky., will add 82 jobs and install an all-new machining line for 4-cylinder hybrid-compatible engines, lining off in 2027. The powertrain facility can assemble up to 700,000 units annually. Toyota Kentucky employs nearly 10,000 team members and represents an investment exceeding $11 billion.

 

Toyota Mississippi: $125 million
Toyota’s Blue Springs, Miss., plant will add the hybrid-electric Corolla – marking the first electrified Corollas assembled in the U.S. The plant employs 2,400 and represents a $1.3 billion investment.

 

Toyota Tennessee: $71.4 million, 33 jobs
Toyota’s casting plant in Jackson, Tenn., will add 33 jobs to increase production of hybrid transaxle cases and housings and engine blocks for hybrid vehicles. The investment includes three all-new production lines and will increase production capacity by nearly 500,000 units annually. Production on the new lines will start in 2027 and 2028. The plant represents a $497 million investment.

 

Toyota Missouri: $57.1 million, 57 jobs
Toyota’s casting plant in Troy, Mo., will add 57 jobs and a new cylinder head production line for hybrid vehicles. The new line, which will start production in 2027, will increase plant capacity by more than 200,000 cylinder heads annually and bring the total investment to $629 million.

 

Phoenix, Raleigh and Austin named top destinations for construction work

A new report by Astrak shows that Phoenix, Raleigh and Austin have emerged as the three top U.S. markets for job growth and wages in the construction industry. Total U.S. construction spending is forecast to reach over $2.2 trillion in 2025, a two percent increase over 2024. 

 

Alabama

 

One of the largest private investments in Alabama history gets green light to build

The Bessemer City Council voted to approve a $14 billion data center on 700 acres of rural land southwest of the city of Birmingham. The project, called “Project Marvel,” is an 18-building hyper scale data center by Atlanta-based TPA Group. 

 

Industrial site in Dothan recognized as a Platinum CSX Select Site

CSX announced in the fall its newest “Select Site,” a 365-acre plot in Dothan, Ala. According to a CSX spokesperson, the site “can meet the needs of a wide variety of manufacturers, significantly reducing the time required to construct industrial facilities and ultimately bringing products to market.”

 

Port of Mobile expands with big investment

The Alabama Port Authority and APM Terminals Mobile announced in the fall quarter an agreement to proceed with construction of a new, 1,300-foot container berth at the Port of Mobile. This $131 million project, funded by federal appropriations to the Port Authority and enhanced by private investments from APM Terminals (an independent division of A.P. Moller – Maersk) marks the next major investment in the growth of the Mobile container terminal and will expand berth capacity by 50 percent enabling the terminal to handle three ultra-large container vessels simultaneously. This will significantly enhance the Port of Mobile’s service offering and capacity for container traffic in the Gulf.

 

U.S. Steel still investing in Fairfield, Ala., plant that first opened in 1909

U.S. Steel announced an investment of $75 million at it Fairfield Tubular Operations in the Birmingham metro. Fairfield Tubular Operations specializes in producing high-quality, American-made steel pipe and tube products — primarily serving the energy sector, including oil and gas customers.

 

Georgia-based Southwire is expanding its Heflin, Ala., Plant. 

The expansion will add 340,000 square feet and more than 85 jobs. 

 

Arkansas

 

U.S. Steel is building another steel plant in Mississippi County, Ark. 

One of America’s oldest industrial giants is investing $3 billion in a new and advanced steel mill in Mississippi County/Osceola, Ark. U.S. Steel already has a huge presence there in Big River Steel. This new mega-mill will be called “Big River Steel Works.” 

The new mill will feature two electric arc furnaces (EAFs), an endless casting and rolling line — the first of its kind in the U.S. — and advanced finishing capabilities. The project is the largest private development in Arkansas history, bringing 900 plant jobs and thousands of construction jobs to the Osceola area. 

 

Missile systems manufacturer opens new plant in East Camden, Ark. 

R2S, a joint venture between Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Raytheon, has opened a new Tamir missile plant for the Iron Dome Weapon Systems used by the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. allies. The $63 million project will create 60 new jobs. 

 

Manufacturer expands in Fayetteville, Ark. 

Packaging Specialties is expanding its manufacturing operations in Fayetteville, with an investment of more than $24 million. The company plans to create 101 new jobs over five years.

 

Hybar celebrates grand opening of world’s most sustainable rebar mill in Osceola, Ark. 

Hybar, a startup steel manufacturer, has opened its new plant in Mississippi County, Ark. Since the startup company was formed a little more than two years ago, it has completed a scrap metal recycling steel production mill, a behind-the-meter solar and battery storage electrical energy facility and a Mississippi River port operation for a total investment of nearly $1 billion.

 

IT company locates in Harrison, Ark. 

Provalus, a cutting-edge information technology (IT) company dedicated to providing dependable, scalable IT services from the heart of America, has selected Harrison, Ark., as the location for its newest facility in the U.S. Heartland. Provalus is investing approximately $1 million in the Harrison facility. The company expects to create 150 new jobs over five years.

Deal done in Hot Springs, Ark. 

Molecular Processing, LLC, is locating its new manufacturing operations in Hot Springs with plans to create more than 50 new jobs over five years. The company is investing $9.1 million. 

 

Florida

 

Another data center drops in on the South, this one in Polk County, Fla. 

The Polk County Commission approved a 10-year $150 million tax break for a Fort Meade, Fla., data center. The 1.9 million-square-foot, hyperscale data center campus will initially be an investment of $2.66 billion; however, the campus is expandable to 4.4 million square feet. About 50 jobs will be created. The data center will be powered by Duke Energy’s nearby Hines complex. 

 

Software firm expands in Pasco County, Fla. 

VantagePoint AI, a financial markets forecasting firm, is adding jobs at its facility in Pasco County in the Tampa Bay metro. The investment of $4.6 million will result in 60 new jobs. 

 

Another aerospace deal in Brevard County, Fla. 

Satys, a global leader in aircraft and rail painting, is investing $1.5 million on Florida’s Space Coast in a new facility. The French company is starting out with the hiring of 40. 

 

Aura Aero expands in Volusia County, Fla.

The Daytona Beach area has landed Aura Aero and its first U.S. production facility at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Research Park. This expansion is expected to create over 1,000 high-skill jobs and positions Volusia as a hub for hybrid-electric aviation. 

 

Georgia

 

Power transformer manufacturer expanding in Georgia

Virginia Transformer announced in November it will expand its Rincon, Ga., power transformer production beginning in 2026. The company expects to add 400 additional jobs and increase production capability at the plant by approximately 70 percent upon completion of the project in one year.

 

Salesforce hiring 250 in Atlanta

Salesforce is investing $15 million to expand its presence in Fulton County, Ga., a project that is expected to create more than 250 new jobs by the end of 2028. The new positions will be based at the existing Salesforce Tower Atlanta location in Buckhead at 950 East Paces Ferry Road NE.

 

Kentucky

 

GE Appliances investing again in Kentucky

Andy Beshear announced in the fall quarter that in in an effort to boost laundry manufacturing, GE Appliances will award $40 million to four plastics suppliers in Kentucky: EPC, a plastic fabrication company in Lebanon; Jones Plastic, a custom injection molder in Williamsburg that is headquartered in Louisville; Plastic Products Co. Inc., a plastic injection molder based in both Lebanon and Greenville; and another facility in Frankfort. These new contracts are the first of many economic ripple effects from GE Appliances’ $3 billion commitment to strengthen its U.S. manufacturing footprint and expand its supply chain. In June, GE Appliances joined Gov. Beshear to announce its $490 million investment in growing manufacturing in Kentucky, creating 800 new jobs. The project includes a new combination washer/dryer plant at the company’s global headquarters in Louisville.

 

Louisiana

 

First Solar inaugurates new $1.1 billion A.I.-enabled plant in Louisiana

In the fall quarter, Arizona-based First Solar opened its solar module plant in Iberia Parish, La. The $1.1 billion facility, which spans approximately 2.4 million square feet and is about 11 times the size of the New Orleans Superdome, currently employs over 700 people and is expected to have 826 employees by the end of the year. The facility is forecast to raise Iberia Parish’s GDP by 4.4 percent in its first full year of operations at capacity. America’s largest domestic solar manufacturer expects almost 18 GW of production capacity in 2027.

 

Drone manufacturer expands in Lafayette, La.

Drone Institute, LLC announced an expansion of its Lafayette headquarters to consolidate its drone operations, data processing and pilot training within a single facility. The new facility will support the company’s growing national operations and development of advanced aerial imaging software for infrastructure assessment.

 

The company is expected to create 610 direct new jobs over the next 10 years while retaining seven current positions in Lafayette Parish.

 

Packaging manufacturer expands in Rapides Parish, La. 

Plastipak is investing nearly $54 million in its plant in Pineville, La. The deal will retain 340 positions and add 40 new jobs. 

 

Engineering and builder company relocates operations from Alabama to Louisiana

Orion Engineers + Constructors announced in the fall it will relocate its corporate headquarters from Theodore, Ala., to Baton Rouge. The relo will result in 50 new jobs in Louisiana. 

 

Southwest Louisiana captures rare earth facility

Aclara Resources Inc. announced a $277 million investment to construct a first-of-its-kind U.S. heavy rare earth separation facility at the Port of Vinton in Calcasieu Parish. The company is expected to create 140 direct new jobs at its first U.S. location.

 

Mississippi

 

Amazon to build new data center in Vicksburg, Miss. 

 

North Carolina

 

What a blast! Pre-Thanksgiving deals rack up over 3,000 jobs in one week in N.C.

Five companies announced they are creating thousands of jobs and investing hundreds of millions of dollars in North Carolina and the announcements all came the week before Thanksgiving. 

Below is a summary of each of the five projects.

• Vulcan Elements, a manufacturer of rare earth magnets, is creating 1,000 jobs and investing $918 million in the Johnston County community of Benson. The company’s 1 million-square-foot facility will become the largest magnet factory in the world outside of China, and will help the U.S. reshore this crucial component of the supply chain for many defense and commercial electronics companies.

• Maersk, a global shipping company based in Copenhagen, Denmark, is creating 520 jobs and investing $16 million in Charlotte. The site will be home to the company’s North American headquarters. Maersk already has a sizable presence in Charlotte, and with this move, will eventually employ over 1,300 people in the Queen City.

• FIT Precast, an industrial concrete product manufacturer, is creating 125 jobs and investing $102 million in the Gaston County community of Gastonia. The company will build its headquarters and a concrete pipe production facility at the site, which will be the most advanced precast concrete manufacturing site in the U.S.

• Aspida Financial Services, a life insurance and annuity company, is creating 1,000 jobs and investing over $28 million in Durham. The company will locate to the former IQVIA building along I-40 and make the location its headquarters.

• Novartis, a life sciences company, is investing $771 million in three sites across Wake, Orange and Durham counties. The sites will house a small-molecule manufacturing facility, large-molecule manufacturing facility, and a fill-finish facility. Novartis, as part of an incentive agreement with the state of North Carolina, will create a total of 380 jobs across all three projects. However, the company anticipates exceeding that total and plans to hire upwards of 700 people at the three locations.

This handful of projects adds to what has already been a historic year for North Carolina as it attracts new businesses and facilitates the expansions of existing companies. So far this year, companies have announced intentions to create more than 30,000 new jobs and invest over $22 billion in North Carolina.

 

Kannapolis, N.C., captures nice deal 

Athletic sportswear company Momentec Brands announced in the fall that it will centralize its operations into a massive 756,000-square-foot customer success center facility in Kannapolis, N.C. Once fully operational, the facility will house 700 workers and will be North America’s largest team-focused cut-and-sew facility. 

 

Biotech firm opening new lab in Charlotte

Tract Bio (“Tract”), a biotechnology company discovering and developing novel therapies for cancer and inflammatory disease, is setting up a lab in the Pearl Innovation District in Charlotte, N.C. The state-of-the-art lab provides enhanced laboratory infrastructure to support Tract’s growth, and research and development efforts.

 

To the general automotive industry: Watch out for Scout Motors!

The old Scout model, originally made by International Harvester, is being brought back with a new plant in South Carolina and its new headquarters now recently announced for Charlotte, N.C. 

 

Volkswagen acquired the Scout trademark in 2021, and the next year announced plans to revive the brand through the founding of Scout Motors. The company – whose lineup includes electric and hybrid-powered vehicles – will construct its vehicles at a manufacturing plant in Blythewood, S.C., with initial production slated for 2027. And the new headquarters deal is not too shabby either. The automaker will invest $206 million in the site and create 1,200 jobs for the Charlotte region.

 

Financial services firm SoFi is expanding in Charlotte

SoFi is investing $3 million with an expansion of its offices in the Ballantyne area of South Charlotte. The company is hiring 225 new workers such as loan officers and underwriters. 

 

Data centers are everywhere

Energy Storage Solutions is forging ahead with $38 billion (that’s with a “B”) of data center development in North Carolina. There are two centers in Tarboro, N.C., and a twin project is planned for Fayetteville, N.C. According to North Carolina sources, the two data centers will be the largest in the Southeast until the record is broken (probably in a matter of days the way data centers are being announced these days). 

 

The big Toyota deal in Randolph County, N.C., is now open for business

The history behind the Liberty, N.C., site is well known by Southern Business & Development. We had someone photograph the late and former N.C. Secretary of Commerce, Jim Fain, and the retired Toyota site picker Dennis Cuneo walking the site around 2002. Publisher Michael Randle even emailed those picks to both and asked, “Hey, Fain, Cuneo, is that you two walking the Liberty Site” with their faces clearly exposed in the photo. 

 

Jump ahead a couple of decades and Toyota has now opened it massive EV battery plant there at the old Liberty site that stood empty for about 25 years. 

 

Reuters wrote about the Toyota facility: “Toyota Motor said (in November) it had begun production at its $13.9 billion North Carolina battery plant as it ramps up hybrid production and confirmed plans to invest $10 billion over five years in U.S. manufacturing.” 

 

The Japanese automaker first announced the plan in December 2021, to produce batteries for its hybrid and electric vehicles. Batteries from the plant are set to power hybrid versions of the Camry, Corolla Cross, RAV4 and a yet-to-be-announced all-electric three-row EV. The plant is producing hybrid batteries for factories in Kentucky and a Mazda Toyota joint venture in Alabama. 

 

The Randolph County battery facility represents Toyota’s 11^th major U.S factory and a huge win for the Carolina Core. 

 

Data center supplier moving HQ to North Carolina

French surge protection manufacturer CITEL America is moving its North American headquarters from Florida to Hillsborough, N.C., a project that was announced in November 2025. The company chose Hillsborough over other locations in Wake and Durham counties after Governor Josh Stein met with its leadership in France. The new facility will be a $12.5 million investment that will create 57 jobs. 

 

Environmental Air Systems creating 300 jobs in Randolph County, N.C.

In November, Gov. Josh Stein announced that Environmental Air Systems, LLC, a leading volumetric modular manufacturer of HVAC infrastructure, will create 300 jobs in Randolph County. The company will invest approximately $20 million to establish a new sub-assembly production operation in Asheboro.

 

Apple asks for more time for its large campus in North Carolina

North Carolina has backed Apple’s plans to postpone its hiring and investment goals that earned the company hundreds of millions in state incentives to build a corporate campus in Research Triangle Park. The Economic Investment Committee, the state board that approved the incentives in 2021, agreed to a four-year project extension at Apple’s request.

 

South Carolina

 

A $68.5 million investment will create 294 new jobs in South Carolina

In the fall, ElringKlinger, an automotive supplier, announced it is expanding its operations in Pickens County. The company’s $68.5 million investment will create 294 new jobs. Headquartered in Germany, ElringKlinger is a global development partner and manufacturer for the automotive industry, specializing in e-mobility, lightweight solutions, sealing technology and tooling. 

 

Aiken captures a nice deal

AGY, a manufacturer of specialty glass fibers, announced it is expanding its operations in Aiken County. The company’s $12.1 million investment will create 80 new jobs.

 

Solar panel facility to start operations in Cherokee County, S.C. 

First Solar, Inc., a leading American photovoltaic (PV) solar and manufacturing company, announced in the fall it is growing its South Carolina footprint with a new production facility in Cherokee County. The company expects to spend approximately $330 million to establish the new facility, which is forecast to create over 600 new jobs.  

 

Data center expands in South Carolina

DartPoints, a leading regional provider of colocation, cloud and interconnection solutions, announced a $125 million expansion of its Greenville County data center. The investment will create 10 new, high-tech jobs.

 

Tennessee

 

South Korean industrial giant expands in Memphis

Hyosung HICO will invest an additional $157 million and create 240 new jobs as the company constructs a new facility at its U.S. headquarters. Upon completion, the new plant will expand Hyosung HICO’s manufacturing capacity by an additional 50 percent, making the facility one of the largest domestic power transformer manufacturing operations in the U.S., and the only facility currently dedicated to manufacturing 765kV transformers domestically.

 

Door manufacturer relocating plant and HQ to Sumner County, Tenn. 

Commercial Door and Frame (CDF) Distributors officials announced the company is expanding by relocating its headquarters and all manufacturing operations to a new Sumner County facility. CDF is locating in the former Simpson Strong-Tie building in Gallatin, Tenn., where it plans to create 85 new jobs and invest $26.1 million. Upon completion, CDF will employ 195 Tennesseans.

 

Glass manufacturer to create nearly 150 new jobs and invest more than $55 million in Nashville

Carlex Glass America executives announced the company will expand its advanced manufacturing operations in Nashville. The more-than-$55 million project will create 143 high-skill jobs and equip the Davidson County campus with next generation production lines.

 

Water treatment firm announces deal in Knoxville

Aqua Membranes will create 94 new jobs and invest $6.6 million as the company constructs its newest facility in the Forks of the River Valley Industrial Park. Through the project, the company will significantly expand its manufacturing capacity, support large-scale customer contracts, and accelerate the adoption of its RO membrane technology across the globe.

 

Texas

 

Google announces $40 billion investment in new A.I. data center infrastructure in Texas

Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced in the fall quarter the digital giant will invest $40 billion in new cloud and A.I. infrastructure in Texas. The deal includes increased energy capacity, three new data center campuses to support what is the single-most sector driving the economy in 2025 -- artificial intelligence. The new data centers will be located in North Texas, West Texas and the Texas Panhandle. 

 

SpaceX seeking state incentives to add 1,000 new jobs at City of Starbase, Texas

SpaceX, now a routine space launch company and no longer a startup, is planning on hiring 1,000 workers at its Boca Chica, Texas “Starbase.” That would bring employment at the base to almost 4,000. SpaceX is planning two Triple Jumbo projects, requiring at least $250 million in investment and 500 jobs each to qualify for the maximum state incentives. The City of Starbase is located in Boca Chica, Texas, near the port of Brownsville and Matamoros, Mexico. 

 

Big data center slated for site next to Samsung’s new semiconductor plant in Taylor, Texas

Called “Project Comal,” the owner of the proposed data center has not been made public as of this writing. Samsung is investing $44 billion in its new chip plant in Taylor along with an expansion of its plant in Austin. The Taylor facility investment so far has totaled $17 billion.

 

Another data center has been approved to start building in Round Rock, Texas

Dallas-based Skybox Datacenters has begun construction in the Austin suburb of Round Rock. In the area, the company has invested over $500 million in data centers in Pflugerville, Taylor and now Round Rock.

 

Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Compal Electronics will create over 1,000 jobs in Taylor and Georgetown, Texas 

The company will establish a manufacturing site in Taylor and a server service center in Georgetown, leasing nearly 600,000 square feet across both cities to expand its North American operations. Compal is a major manufacturer for companies like Apple, Dell and Google.

 

Equinix plans $835 million data center in west Dallas

Equinix is building a massive data center in west Dallas. The project represents surging demand for colocation space, which has reached near zero vacancy rates in key large markets such as D/FW. 

 

New HQ for Unleashed Brands in Irving, Texas

Unleashed Brands, a youth enrichment platform company which owns Sylvan Learning, The Little Gym, Urban Air Adventure Park and other programs, has chosen Irving for its headquarters. The project will create 300 new jobs. 

 

Austin-based Tesla to create 1,500 jobs in Waller County, Texas

EV maker Tesla is actively hiring for its $200 million manufacturing facility in Brookshire, Texas. According to the company’s tax abatement agreement, the new plant must house 750 workers by the end of 2027, and 1,500 by the end of 2028.  

 

Firefly Aerospace adding jobs at its Cedar Park, Texas headquarters 

Williamson County, located in the Austin MSA, is as hot a county as there is in America right now with another new announcement. Space launch firm Firefly Aerospace is expanding its headquarters in Cedar Park by investing $3 million to create 300 new technology jobs there. 
 

Wright One chooses Cedar Park for its new headquarters

Wright One, a data center cooling manufacturer, is investing $15 million to create 164 jobs in Williamson County. Its cooling hardware is also used in crypto-mining, drones and other industries. 

 

Virginia

 

New data center complex being built in Leesburg, Va. 

In November, land was sold to create five, two-story data centers that Dominion Energy will power in Leesburg, Va. The billions in investment will create thousands of construction jobs and several hundred permanent jobs. 

 

Another data center announcement, this one in Virginia

CleanArc Data Centers will invest $3 billion to construct a new state-of-the-art data center campus in Caroline County. At full capacity, the project will create 50 new jobs in the Commonwealth. It is the largest project by value in Caroline County history. 

 

Companies to invest $120 million for Virginia pharma training center

AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Merck are investing a combined $120 million in a new pharmaceutical training center in Virginia. This initiative, developed in partnership with the state and its higher education institutions, aims to create a pipeline of skilled workers for the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. The center is called the Virginia Center for Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (VCAPM).

 

Modine turns deal in rural Virginia

The thermal management technology and solutions company, Modine, is investing about $20 million in a facility in Buena Vista, Va. The deal will create 57 jobs. 

 

Elbit Systems expanding in Roanoke County, Va. 

Elbit Systems of America is expanding its plant in Roanoke County, Va. The facility, which produces low-light night vision devices for the defense industry, will see a $30 million injection into the plant with the addition of 288 new jobs. That would bring the site’s workforce to over 1,000 employees. 

 

Vantage Data Centers to build new one in Stafford County, Va. 

Vantage Data Centers is investing $2 billion to build a state-of-the-art data center campus in Stafford County. 

 

Critical power solutions company to create 250 jobs in James City County, Va. 

CEL Critical Power will invest over $5 million to establish its first American manufacturing facility in James City County. The company serves the data center market, which is thriving in deals throughout the South.