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In November 2023, U.S. manufacturers shrugged off the challenges of easing demand and the continued impact of the UAW strike and instead spearheaded a surge in groundbreaking announcements of new investments in manufacturing. From New Balance's continued investment in domestic manufacturing to Texas Instruments' monumental semiconductor fab in Utah, these developments underscore the industry's resilience and commitment to progress.
Spanning eleven U.S. states, representing billions in investments and thousands of jobs, U.S. manufacturers marked continued growth and innovation across diverse sectors. Let’s take a look at the most exciting new plant announcements made in the month of November.
First up, New Balance, a Boston-based global athletic leader, announced the groundbreaking of its sixth U.S. athletic footwear manufacturing facility in Londonderry, New Hampshire1. The company will invest $70 million in the 102,000-square-foot factory, which will create more than 150 jobs and start production in 2025. The new facility will help New Balance meet the growing consumer demand for its MADE US footwear, which contains a domestic value of 70% or more.
New Balance CEO Joe Preston expressed his pride in American craftsmanship and innovation, saying, “This new factory will help us meet our significant U.S. and global consumer demand and drive future business opportunities that showcase our longstanding pride in American craftsmanship and innovation.” New Balance also received warm welcome from state and local officials, who praised the company’s contribution to the economy and the community.
Texas Instruments (TI) announced a massive $11 billion investment in Utah, marking the largest economic investment in state history. The company broke ground on its new 300-mm semiconductor wafer fabrication plant (or “fab”) in Lehi, Utah, which will connect to its existing fab in the same location. The new fab, LFAB2, will create approximately 800 additional TI jobs and thousands of indirect jobs, with first production available as early as 2026. The facility will manufacture analog and embedded processing chips that are vital for nearly every type of electronic system today.
TI’s President and CEO Haviv Ilan said, “At TI, our passion is to create a better world by making electronics more affordable through semiconductors. We are proud to be a growing member of the Utah community.”
Brown Sugar Bakery, a Southern-inspired bakery established in 2002, has opened a new 10,000 square-foot manufacturing facility on Chicago’s South Side. The facility will enable large scale production of cakes, cobblers, pies, cupcakes, chocolates, and more, while creating jobs for the local community. The bakery received $500,000 in grant funding from the state’s Minority-Owned Business Capital and Infrastructure Program, as well as a grant from the Back to Business Restaurants program.
Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton attended the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony. “I couldn’t be prouder of the Brown Sugar Bakery team as they continue to uplift the community, making a difference in so many people’s lives while bringing smiles to the faces of people everywhere,” said Governor JB Pritzker.
DuPont announced the opening of a new manufacturing site for its Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer parts in Newark, Delaware. The site, called Tralee Park Annex, will meet the growing demand from the semiconductor and industrial sectors for high-performance sealing solutions. The site features a state-of-the-art cleanroom, upgraded equipment, optimized layout and space for future growth. The site will also create about 50 new jobs, including STEM-related roles. The investment amount was not disclosed.
Brian Ammons, Global Business Director for Kalrez®, said, "We are thrilled to open this new state-of-the-art facility to support the growth of our customers. We are committed to partnering with our customers on innovation and pride ourselves on driving operational excellence and delivering supply reliability and consistent superiority in quality performance."
Central States Manufacturing, a leader in metal building components, roofing, and buildings, announced the groundbreaking of its new 105,000-square-foot facility in Springdale, AR, on November 16, 2023. The new plant will support the fast-growing pre-engineered metal frame business and create 55 new jobs for employee-owners in 2025. The company also unveiled its newly-rebranded Central States Building Works business, which serves customers across the country with material-only packages for mini-storage and rigid metal building business.
The company’s CEO, Jim Sliker, expressed his excitement about the expansion and the opportunities it creates for the company and the community. He said, "This expansion reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering top-quality products and services to our customers.” The company has a long history of investing and engaging in NW Arkansas and is committed to environmental responsibility and community service.
Lithos Energy, a leading maker of lithium-ion battery systems for demanding environments, has announced the opening of a new manufacturing and pilot line facility in Hayward, California. The 65,000 square foot facility will produce Lithos’ latest generation of high-performance and high-durability battery pack systems for various end markets undergoing electrification, such as EV, mining, marine, construction, and agriculture.
Chris Gross, Vice President of Operations at Lithos, said: “Our new location immediately provides increased capacity coupled with the highest standard of manufacturing quality that Lithos is known for.” Lithos claims that its battery systems have industry-leading power and energy density, as well as application-specific dependability and safety.
Serta Simmons Bedding, one of the world’s leading sleep companies, has opened a new 500,000 square foot manufacturing plant in Janesville, Wisconsin. The plant will produce mattresses and other bedding products under its Serta, Beautyrest and Simmons brands. The plant consolidates two previous plants in Rock County, retaining more than 300 jobs and creating additional ones in the future. The company says the new plant will enhance the quality and service of its products for the Midwest market.
“Our company has a proud history here in Rock County and we couldn’t be more excited to reinvest here and continue to be a big part of the local economy,” said Mark Genender, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Interim CEO at SSB.
Rocket Lab USA, Inc., a global leader in launch and space systems, announced its plan to establish a Space Structures Complex in Middle River, Maryland. The company will renovate a former Lockheed Martin site to manufacture composite products for spacecraft and rockets. The project will create 65 new jobs by 2025 and cost $1.56 million in state funding. Rocket Lab’s CEO Peter Beck said, "We’re incredibly excited to bring advanced Rocket Lab composite products to market for our customers." The new facility will expand Rocket Lab’s presence in Maryland and support its launch site in Virginia.
Tate, a global provider of raised access floors, airflow management, and infrastructure solutions for commercial and data center applications, announced that it will invest $14.9 million to set up a new manufacturing facility in Russell County, Virginia. The project will create 170 new jobs and focus on data center component manufacturing and containment products. Tate chose Virginia over several other states for its new production plant.
“Tate is excited to begin operations in Russell County. The facility is an integral addition to support our commitment to manufacturing innovative infrastructure solutions for the data center industry,” said General Manager Daniel Kennedy.
ORBIS Corporation, a leader in reusable packaging, has announced the expansion of its manufacturing facility in Urbana, Ohio. The expansion adds 30% more space for the production of ORBIS totes and pallets, which are used in various industries to reduce waste and improve efficient. The expansion also increases the company’s molding capacity by 10% and enhances its energy efficiency.
The Urbana plant is strategically located to optimize freight and serve customers nationwide. The expansion was developed with local Ohio contractors and creates more jobs in the community. ORBIS has been operating in Urbana for decades and is part of Menasha Corporation.
“A more sustainable supply chain starts with reuse. Our customers rely on us to help them move their goods in the supply chain more sustainably with reusable packaging,” said Norm Kukuk, president at ORBIS. "This expansion gives us the flexibility and capacity to enhance production of our packaging products."
Toyota has announced a historic expansion of its electric battery manufacturing site in Randolph County, North Carolina. The company will invest an additional $8 billion, bringing its total investment to $13.9 billion, and create 3,000 new jobs, for a total of more than 5,000 jobs. The expanded facility will produce batteries for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with a total of 10 production lines. The announcement follows Governor Cooper’s meeting with Toyota President Koji Sato in Tokyo earlier this month. “This investment reflects our commitment to electrification and carbon reduction, and it enables jobs and future economic growth for the region,” said Sean Suggs, president of Toyota North Carolina.
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