New U.S. Manufacturing Plants Announced in March 2021

Above: An employee at ABB in Hackettstown, NJ. Source: ABB

In a hopeful sign for the U.S. manufacturing sector in March, we saw a number of new manufacturing plants and expansions announced in March, reflecting high demand for pharmaceuticals, packaging, food and beverage and electronic products.

Spanning ten states and representing billions in investment and thousands of new jobs, these are the new manufacturing operations announced this busy month.

New Manufacturing Plants Announced in March 2021

Intel Invests $20 Billion to Expand Semiconductor Manufacturing

First up is Intel's March 23rd announcement of  its plans to invest $20 billion and hire more than 3,000 to expand semiconductor manufacturing at its plant in Chandler, Arizona. The new project will involve building two new factories on the Ocotillo campus. This comes as welcome news, as global supply chains are currently grappling with a severe shortage of semiconductors, impacting everything from the automotive industry to consumer electronics. 

Biotech Brings Massive Investments

Also this month, FUJIFILM unveiled plans to invest $2 billion in a new large-scale cell culture manufacturing plant in North Carolina. The new facility, which will be located in Holly Springs, will be the largest end-to-end cell culture biopharmecutical (CDMO) operation in North America. Once operational by 2025, the Holly Springs plant will employ 725 and will additionally offer commercial scale, automated fill-finish and assembly, packaging and labeling services.

Meanwhile, Cytovia Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in gene-edited Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) cells, has announced plans to establish a new R&D and manufacturing facility in Natik, Massachusetts. The new facility will focus on gene-editing, antibody and CAR development and NK (natural killer) cell pilot manufacturing and will work in tandem with a larger-scale sister operation in Puerto Rico.

Heading over to Virginia, Seppic, a division of French company Air Liquide, unveiled its new manufacturing plant, now in operation, located near Richmond. The new Seppic site is the company’s first manufacturing operation in the United States and will focus on producing high performance specialty ingredients for the personal care and pharmaceutical markets. 

Explosion in e-Commerce Gives Packaging Industry a Boost

Meanwhile, Seattle-based PAC Worldwide announced plans to establish a new $47 million manufacturing facility in Union City, Georgia. PAC is a custom packaging solutions provider and the new operation will help the company keep up with e-commerce related demand. The company announced it is moving into an existing 500,000 square-foot facility and will employ 400 once operational in the summer of 2021.

And in Pennsylvania, protective packaging manufacturer Pregis announced plans to establish a new 300,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Bethel. The new plant will produce lightweight, all-paper cushioned mailers and plans to hire 80 workers.

Meanwhile, Portugal-based Colquimica Adhesives, Inc., announced it has opened its first U.S production facility in Charlotte, North Carolina. The new 100,000 square-foot, $12 million facility will produce adhesives for products in the personal hygiene, packaging, and product assembly industries.See their video "Charlotte, we've arrived!" below. 

From “Made in Vietnam” to “Made in USA”: Vietnam Denim Maker Invests in LA Factory

Additionally, Vietnam-based apparel manufacturer Saitex announced it has established its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Los Angeles. Called the “cleanest denim factory in the world” Saitex, USA’s new plant features state-of-the-art laser cutting, semi-automated sewing, robotic spraying, and 3D laser detailing. Said Sanjeev Bahl, CEO, and Founder of Saitex, “Saitex USA is another step in our journey, providing an opportunity to bring sustainable manufacturing and jobs to the United States, a first step in reevaluating and reinventing global supply chains.”

Heightened Demand Spurs Two New Beverage Plants

Demand for food and beverage products continues to trend up, leading to the establishment of two new facilities this month.

In Illinois, alcoholic beverage manufacturer Diaego North America announced it has expanded production, establishing two can lines at a new 225,000 square foot plant in Plainfield, Illinois. The new facility represents an investment of $80 million and will be able to produce more than 25 million cases of ready-to-drink beverages such as a Smirnoff Seltzers and Ketel One beverages per year.

Meanwhile, dairy company Fairlife has established a new production facility in the state of Arizona. This advanced manufacturing operation, located in Goodyear, encompasses 300,000 square feet and currently employs 100, with plans to hire more as the company ramps up production of its popular ultra-filtered milk, ice creams and creamers.

High-Tech Electronics Break Ground

In Texas, Advanced Charging Technologies announced it has opened a second manufacturing plant. The California-based company provides cloud-based solutions for forklift battery and charging technologies, and this new facility in San Antonio is expected to help meet increased demand in the global battery charging market.

Additionally, ABB Installation Products announced this month it is undergoing a major expansion of its plant in Portland, Tennessee. In addition to producing parts and PVC fittings, ABB’s Tennessee plant is North America’s largest manufacturer of electrical junction boxes. This expansion, which involves 35,000 square feet of building improvements to the 200,000 square-foot site, is expected to help boost capacity by 20%. The company currently employs 300 and is expected to add 40 additional employees as a part of the expansion.

The electric vehicle market continues to heat up and this month, electric vehicle manufacturer Mullen Technologies has applied for a $40.5 million tax credit to build a new $362 million electric vehicle plant in Memphis, Tennessee, reports WREG Memphis. The proposed facility plans to produce a redesigned electric crossover SUV and will employ 434 if completed.

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Missed last month? Read New Manufacturing Plants Announced in February 2021 or take a look at 2020 in Review: The Year in New Manufacturing Plants.