|
|
|
June brings exciting news in the U.S. manufacturing sector, with substantial investments and new facilities from leading companies. From a groundbreaking solar plant in Tulsa to significant expansions in North Carolina, these ventures promise billions in investment and thousands of jobs. Here's a roundup of the most noteworthy new manufacturing operations and expansions announced this month:
Norwegian solar company NorSun has announced a significant investment in Tulsa, Oklahoma, marking its first manufacturing facility in the United States. The company plans to invest $620 million to establish a 5 GW silicon ingot and solar wafer manufacturing plant. This strategic move is expected to create 320 new jobs and will address the growing demand for domestic solar cell and panel manufacturing, bolstering the renewable energy sector.
Spanning approximately 60 acres, the Tulsa site is poised for construction in late 2024, with production commencing in 2026. The facility will be one of the first in the U.S. to produce high-performing silicon ingots and wafers, a critical component in the solar supply chain. NorSun CEO Erik Løkke-Øwre expressed the urgency of the project, stating, "Our business plan has an ambitious timeline, so we knew we needed a partner who can work fast and efficiently to meet the critical need for American-made energy."
Nextracker and Unimacts have announced the opening of a new 160,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Sloan, Nevada, marking the second Nextracker-dedicated line launched by Unimacts within a year. This expansion is set to bolster the solar power generation capacity in the southwestern U.S., supporting over 2 GW of new solar power annually, enough to power approximately 400,000 U.S. homes.
The facility will produce steel torque tubes, a critical component for solar power plants. Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of Nextracker, expressed the significance of this development, stating, "American manufacturing has quickly become the heartbeat of the clean energy revolution."
Based on increased demand for weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, Novo Nordisk has announced a significant investment of $4.1 billion to construct a second manufacturing facility in Clayton, North Carolina. This expansion, one of the largest in the company’s history, will add 1.4 million square feet of production space, effectively doubling the size of their existing facilities in the state. The new facility will create an additional 1,000 jobs, augmenting the nearly 2,500 employees already working in the region.
The facility will focus on the production of injectable treatments for obesity and other serious chronic diseases. “It took us a century to reach 40 million patients, but through this expansion and continued investment in our global production, we’re building Novo Nordisk’s ability to serve millions more people living with serious chronic diseases in the future,” said Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk.
In other pharmaceutical (and North Carolina) news, Kyowa Kirin, Inc., a global specialty pharmaceutical company, has announced a significant investment of up to $530 million to establish a new manufacturing facility in Sanford, North Carolina. The 171,700-square-foot facility is designed to enhance the company’s production of biologic therapies for rare and serious diseases. This strategic move is expected to create over 100 new jobs with an average salary of $91,496, contributing to the economic growth of the Sanford area.
Paul Testa, Executive Vice President, Regional Head North America/EMEA Manufacturing, Kyowa Kirin North America, stated, "The extraordinary complexity of the medicines we manufacture requires specialized skills and resources that are in plentiful supply in Sanford and the Research Triangle region."
PPG Industries is making a significant stride in its North American operations with a $300 million investment. The highlight of this initiative is the establishment of a new manufacturing facility in Loudon County, Tennessee. This marks PPG’s first U.S. plant in over a decade and spans across 250,000 square feet. The facility will primarily produce automotive paints and coatings, with the potential to expand into other industrial sectors. Once fully operational, it is expected to churn out over 11 million gallons of paint annually and create approximately 130 jobs.
Tim Knavish, PPG chairman and chief executive officer, underscored the company’s commitment to innovation and customer service, stating, “These investments continue to modernize and digitize our manufacturing capabilities, and demonstrate PPG’s continued focus on quality and service to our customers as the premier single-source coatings supplier for every vehicle surface.”
Toyota is set to supercharge its Huntsville engine factory with a substantial $282 million investment, bolstering the facility’s production capabilities and generating over 350 new jobs. This strategic move amplifies Toyota Alabama’s total investment to an impressive $1.7 billion. The Huntsville plant, already an engine powerhouse since 2003, will introduce new lines for drivetrain products, enhancing its role as Toyota’s largest engine producer in North America.
In 2023 alone, the plant’s dedicated team assembled more than 770,000 engines. Jason Puckett, Toyota Alabama president, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to embrace the new production lines, stating, "Thanks to our Alabama team members’ daily commitment to quality and continuous improvement, we know they can rise to the challenge of all-new production lines."
SPEE3D, an innovative leader in metal additive manufacturing, has recently inaugurated its first U.S.-based manufacturing facility and applications center at the University of New Hampshire’s John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center. This strategic expansion aims to enhance collaboration with American clients, including the U.S. Department of Defense, and to capitalize on the region’s reputation for technological innovation. The new facility will focus on manufacturing SPEE3D’s advanced printers while also offering tailored solutions through its applications center.
Byron Kennedy, CEO of SPEE3D, expressed the company’s commitment to meeting the needs of its partners, stating, "Establishing our first U.S.-based location at the Olson Center brings together a world-class manufacturing center at UNH with SPEE3D’s leading cold spray additive manufacturing technology to a region known for its innovation and advancements.”
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) recently celebrated the opening of a new artillery projectile metal parts facility in Mesquite, Texas. The facility is noted for its high levels of automation and innovative manufacturing processes, including the use of Universal Artillery Projectile Lines (UAPL). These lines are capable of producing 155mm artillery metal parts and can manufacture a variety of projectile metal parts ranging from 60mm to 155mm calibers.
Firat Gezen, President of General Dynamics OTS, expressed the company’s commitment to supporting national security through advanced manufacturing capabilities. “This Universal Artillery Projectile Line facility was designed and purpose-built to integrate new, innovative manufacturing processes to provide a resilient and enduring industrial capability for our warfighters,” said Gezen.
In a significant move that marks a new era for Kikkoman, the world-renowned soy sauce producer has initiated the construction of a state-of-the-art production facility in Jefferson, Wisconsin.
The new facility, which is expected to start its first shipments of soy sauce in fall 2026, will not only produce the company’s flagship soy sauce but also a range of soy sauce–related seasonings, including teriyaki sauce. Honorary CEO and Chairman of the Board, Mr. Yuzaburo Mogi, highlighted the company’s dedication to Wisconsin, stating, "Today, we are committing to an investment in the community of Jefferson and the state of Wisconsin. Kikkoman believes in Wisconsin, and we are grateful to this great state for believing in us."
Armstrong International has announced the groundbreaking of a new 29,000-sq-ft industrial heat pump manufacturing wing at its Three Rivers, Michigan-based manufacturing campus. The expansion, which is supported by a grant from the United States Department of Energy’s Heat Pump Defense Production Act Program, will enable Armstrong to produce specialized industrial heat pumps designed for applications exceeding 100kW of heat and temperatures above 180° F.
Kurt Armstrong, CEO of Armstrong International, expressed the company’s honor in being selected for the grant, stating, "The DOE funds will play a crucial role in expediting the production and adoption of our High-Temperature Industrial Heat Pumps in the United States, as well as our Circular Thermal approach to decarbonization."
Altor Solutions, a leading foam manufacturing company, has announced its relocation to a new state-of-the-art facility in Newcomerstown, Ohio, with an investment exceeding $23 million. The move is set to bolster the region’s economic growth by creating job opportunities and fostering long-term prosperity. The new facility, located at 600 Enterprise Drive, will serve as a cornerstone of Altor Solutions’ operations, emphasizing the company’s dedication to innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.
Jason Kester, Regional Development Director for Agracel’s Ohio Valley Office, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, "We are thrilled to add Altor Solutions to our portfolio of clients and grateful for the opportunity to help them establish this new facility in Newcomerstown."
Tyler Technologies, a leader in integrated software and technology services for the public sector, has announced the grand opening of its new manufacturing facility in Kingston Springs, Tennessee. The 21,000 square foot facility is set to enhance the production of proprietary hardware supporting Tyler’s Enterprise Corrections software. This significant expansion will accelerate the manufacturing process of correctional-grade kiosks from a six-week to a mere three-day turnaround, meeting the growing demand for Tyler’s corrections solutions.
Rusty Smith, president of Tyler’s Justice Group, expressed his enthusiasm: "We are thrilled to officially open our new facility in Kingston Springs."
Toyota Material Handling is set to revolutionize the electric forklift industry with a groundbreaking $100 million investment in a new 295,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Columbus, Indiana. This strategic expansion, aimed at bolstering electric product production, is a testament to Toyota’s commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction. The state-of-the-art factory will create 85 new jobs and is expected to start production in June 2026.
Emphasizing the significance of this development, Tony Miller, Senior Vice President of Engineering, Operations & Strategic Planning, stated, "Electric products are more popular than ever, and we are committed to doing whatever it takes to keep up with increased demand. This new factory will allow us to deliver those electric units to customers faster than we can today."
Lucas Oil, a leading distributor of high-performance automotive additives and lubricants, has announced the opening of its new Advanced Grease Manufacturing Facility in Corydon, Indiana. The expansion within its 400,000 square foot production facility is set to address the national grease shortage that has affected various industries since the pandemic. This strategic move will enhance the company’s production capabilities, specifically in developing and manufacturing industrial and commercial greases.
Morgan Lucas, CEO of Lucas Oil, expressed the company’s commitment to quality and economic growth, stating, “By investing in the buildout of this facility, we’re not just committing to quality; we’re embracing the responsibility to boost the industrial sector and the larger economy.” The new plant is expected to create superior, reliable industrial greases that will improve equipment longevity and efficiency, crucial for optimizing operations and reducing downtime in the industrial sector.
If you’re looking for industrial sales leads for a particular industry, region, company size, and more, consider an IndustrySelect subscription. IndustrySelect gives you live access to MNI’s database of 460,000 industrial companies and one million executives, providing up to 30 data points to help you identify and pre-qualify the best leads. Click here to start your free demo account, loaded with 500 real company profiles, so you can test all the features of this powerful software!
Follow IndustrySelect on Google News