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In February, we reported on new plants and expansion tied to growing demand for AI infrastructure, and in March, that trend has continued in a big way. Advanced manufacturing truly drove investment this month with the rapid buildout of artificial intelligence infrastructure and next-generation semiconductor initiatives. At the same time, defense-related manufacturing is gaining momentum, with new and expanded operations supporting naval programs, aerospace systems, advanced materials, and precision technologies. Together, these trends point to a broader realignment of U.S. manufacturing around strategic, high-stakes industries
Spanning thirteen states and representing billions in investment, today we are exploring the latest new plants and expansions announced across the U.S. in March 2026.
Tesla and SpaceX are reportedly advancing a major semiconductor manufacturing initiative known as Terafab, a proposed AI chip factory in the Austin, Texas region. The project is expected to focus on producing next-generation chips to support artificial intelligence workloads, autonomous systems, and high-performance computing tied to both companies’ rapidly expanding technology ecosystems.
Terafab represents a significant step toward vertically integrated chip production, aligning manufacturing with Tesla’s AI training infrastructure and SpaceX’s growing demand for advanced onboard and communications hardware. The facility is expected to play a role in strengthening domestic semiconductor capacity while supporting large-scale AI deployment across transportation, aerospace, and data infrastructure.
Valeo broke ground on a new manufacturing facility in McAllen, Texas on March 24. The company said it will invest $225 million over the next five years in the 337,000-square-foot plant, which is expected to create up to 500 jobs, with production slated to begin in late 2027. Jeffrey Shay, Valeo North America President, said, “We’re proud to contribute technologies that enable the next generation of software-defined vehicles.” (Valeo)
Hadrian opened a new advanced manufacturing facility in Cherokee, Alabama on March 20 to support production tied to the U.S. Navy’s Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine programs. The company said the first phase transforms part of a 2.2 million-square-foot site into an advanced production hub and could create up to 1,000 jobs when fully operational. Founder and CEO Chris Power said the factory is “Hadrian’s commitment to meeting this moment.” (PR Newswire)
AeroVironment announced on March 3 that it will invest more than $30 million to significantly expand its manufacturing operations in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The announcement was tied to a $6 million incentive package linked to job creation milestones, and the company said the site manufactures products including RF systems, satellite communications ground terminals, laser systems, and precision optics. CEO Wahid Nawabi said the expansion is about “strengthening the domestic defense industrial base.” (AeroVironment, Inc.)
BRINC announced a new Seattle factory on March 24, saying the site more than doubles its production footprint and will help the company scale manufacturing of public safety drones, including its Guardian platform. The company said the added space will keep engineering and production closely integrated while accelerating output as demand for drone-as-first-responder systems grows. Founder and CEO Blake Resnick said, “We’ve outgrown our previous facility.” (PR Newswire)
Safran Electrical & Power unveiled its expanded Sarasota, Florida facility on March 18. The site now spans 140,000 square feet and supports research, development, manufacturing, maintenance, repair, and overhaul for aerospace electrical systems, including power generation, conversion, and protection components. CEO Bruno Bellanger said, “This expansion demonstrates our commitment to strengthening operations in the United States.” (GlobeNewswire)
FANUC America announced on March 24 that it plans to invest $90 million to acquire property and build a new 840,000-square-foot facility in Michigan. The project is targeted for completion in late 2027 and is expected to add 225 jobs while creating production-ready capacity for expanded U.S. robot manufacturing. President and CEO Mike Cicco said, “By expanding its U.S. presence, FANUC America will strengthen domestic manufacturing.” (PR Newswire)
Hyundai Translead announced on March 16 that it will establish two advanced trailer manufacturing facilities in Will County, Illinois. The company said the project will create approximately 2,500 full-time jobs and increase annual production capacity through a major U.S. expansion. CEO Sean Kenney said, “Our position as the leading trailer manufacturer is the result of steady progress.” (Hyundai Translead)
Crusoe announced on March 12 that it is expanding manufacturing with a new facility in Brighton, Colorado called the Spark Factory. The site will produce Crusoe Spark modular AI factories, allowing the company to scale physical AI infrastructure more rapidly for its cloud and managed inference offerings. Co-Founder, President, and Chief Strategy Officer Cully Cavness said, “Speed is core to Crusoe’s DNA.” (GlobeNewswire)
UCB announced on March 24 that Gwinnett County, Georgia will be the home of its first U.S. biologics manufacturing facility. The company said it plans a $2 billion investment that will create about 330 permanent jobs, with the 460,000-square-foot campus designed to operate as a major biologics hub for the U.S. market. CEO Jean-Christophe Tellier said, “This decision reflects our confidence in UCB’s long-term growth.” (Brian Kemp's Office)
Wilmington PharmaTech announced a $50 million expansion of its Newark, Delaware campus on March 23. The company said the project will add two new 10,000-liter reactor suites, more than double current API reactor capacity, and approximately double the site workforce when completed. Kent Payne, Managing Director at Wilmington PharmaTech, said Wilmington is “uniquely positioned to serve biopharmaceutical innovators.” (Business Wire)
TerraPower Isotopes announced on March 17 that it is building a flagship cGMP actinium-225 manufacturing facility in Philadelphia’s Bellwether District. The company said the site will expand actinium-225 production twentyfold and help increase supply for researchers and drug developers working on cancer treatments. TerraPower Isotopes President Scott Claunch said the project is “a major milestone for TerraPower Isotopes.” (PR Newswire)
CSL announced on March 9 that it broke ground on a major expansion of its manufacturing facility in Kankakee, Illinois. The company said it is investing $1.5 billion, expects to create at least 300 new jobs, and will expand production of plasma-derived therapies and albumin using advanced manufacturing capabilities. CEO and Managing Director Gordon Naylor said, “Behind every plasma-derived therapy is a person trying to live a more stable life.” (PR Newswire)
Conagra Brands announced on March 6 that it will invest about $220 million to expand its manufacturing facility in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The company said the project will create more than 100 jobs over five years and significantly increase chicken production capacity at a plant that currently produces about 15 million cases of ready-to-eat meals annually. Craig Weiss, senior vice president of supply chain, said, “This significant investment in our Fayetteville facility will allow us to continue to grow.” (Conagra Brands)
Chobani announced on March 24 a multi-phase, $567 million expansion of its La Colombe plant in Norton Shores, Michigan. The company said the project will add more than 200,000 square feet of production space, create nearly 340 new jobs, retain 312 existing jobs, and sharply increase milk purchases from Michigan dairy suppliers. Founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya said, “La Colombe has been making ready-to-drink lattes in Norton Shores for more than a decade.” (PR Newswire)
Pennsylvania announced on March 10 that Schreiber Foods will invest $132.9 million to expand its Shippensburg manufacturing facility. The project will create 47 new jobs, retain 516 existing positions, and add new production lines that increase yogurt processing capacity by another 109,000 pounds of milk per day. Schreiber Foods President Trevor Farrell said, “This expansion reinforces our long-term commitment to this area.” (PA Community & Economic Development)
Toman ThermoSonics Inc., a manufacturer of heat staking systems, ultrasonic welding equipment, pneumatic presses, and automated plastic assembly solutions, announced on March 5 that it has relocated to an expanded 12,000-square-foot facility in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. The move from New Berlin expands the company’s manufacturing capacity and supports growing demand across automotive, medical, electronics, and industrial markets.
The upgraded facility enhances space for engineering, assembly, testing, and customer support while improving production efficiency. President Torey Bringa said, “With new ownership and expanded facilities, we are positioned to invest further in innovation, strengthen customer partnerships, and continue delivering the high-quality equipment and service our customers rely on.” (IndustryNet)
IKO celebrated the grand opening of a new fiberglass manufacturing facility and glass mat plant in Chester County, South Carolina on March 25. The company said the project completes more than $500 million in investment and will create nearly 200 local jobs while strengthening its vertically integrated roofing materials network. CEO David Koschitzky said, “This grand opening represents a major milestone for IKO.” (GlobeNewswire)
E-ONE announced on March 17 that it is investing $23.5 million in its Ocala, Florida manufacturing facility. The company said the expansion will increase aerial production capacity by 35 percent and help reduce delivery times for fire departments ordering specialized emergency vehicles. Mike Virnig, President of Terex’s Specialty Vehicles segment, said, “This investment reflects E-ONE’s unwavering commitment to the firefighting industry.” (Business Wire)
LGM Pharma announced on March 19 a second phase of CDMO investment totaling an additional $9 million across Rosenberg, Texas and Colorado Springs, Colorado, bringing total announced investment across the expansion program to $15 million. The company said the Rosenberg site is adding suppository and semi-solid manufacturing capacity while Colorado Springs is expanding oral solid dose production. Chief Commercial Officer Hamilton Lenox said, “We are executing this next phase of expansion while keeping both facilities fully operational.” (Business Wire)
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