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While it might be the dog days of summer, U.S. manufacturers have been far from idle. July has seen a flurry of significant developments, with major investments and new facilities emerging across the country. From breakthroughs in aerospace to expansions in biotechnology and beyond, these initiatives underscore the industry's relentless drive and innovation. Today, we’re exploring all of the standout manufacturing operations and expansions announced in July.
Spanning fourteen states and representing billions in investment and thousands of jobs, here are the most exciting new manufacturing announcements made this month.
Southland Industrial Coatings announced a $13.1 million investment to build a new fireproofing facility in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. This expansion is expected to create 120 direct new jobs with an average annual salary of over $53,000 and retain 340 existing jobs. Additionally, the project will generate 178 indirect new jobs, totaling 298 potential new jobs in the Acadiana Region. The new 100,000-square-foot facility will serve customers in the utility and renewable energy industries nationwide.
“Southland Industrial Coatings is very excited about our expansion in St. Landry Parish,” said CEO Joey Lombardo4. "We are appreciative of the support provided by LED and are grateful to be working with local government and becoming part of the Washington community." The company plans to break ground in the coming weeks and expects construction to be completed by spring 2025.
Wells Enterprises has announced a significant expansion of its Dunkirk, New York manufacturing facility, increasing its investment from $250 million to $425 million. This expansion is expected to create 270 new jobs in the Dunkirk community. The facility, which produces Blue Bunny, Halo Top, Bomb Pop, and Blue Ribbon Classics brands, will see its production output more than quadruple, supporting the company’s growth in novelty and packaged ice cream.
“We are extremely excited to build on the strength of our team in Dunkirk and continue to work with the community to grow and expand our operations here,” said Liam Killeen, CEO and President of Wells Enterprises. Construction is currently in progress, with new ice cream products anticipated to begin rolling off the lines in August 2025.
Governor Greg Abbott announced that SeAH Group will establish a high-performance metal manufacturing facility in Temple, Texas, with a $110 million capital investment. This new facility is expected to create over 100 new jobs in Central Texas. SeAH Group, a South Korea-based company specializing in steel products, aims to thrive in the North American market with this expansion.
“Texas has always been a fantastic partner in every aspect of our journey to the U.S.,” said SeAH Changwon Integrated Special Steel Co-CEO Junghoon “Jay” Lee. The announcement was made during a press conference in Seoul, South Korea, with various business and community leaders in attendance.
Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. has announced the completion of its new manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona. This facility will be the site for the final assembly of the next-generation Delta spaceships, with operations set to begin in Q1 2025. The facility, equipped with two hangars and multiple bays, will utilize digital twin technology for seamless integration with suppliers. Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier stated, "The completion of our new manufacturing facility is an important milestone in the development of our fleet of next-generation spaceships, the key to our scale and profitability." The Delta spaceships, designed to seat up to six private passengers, are expected to significantly increase access to space with the capability of flying up to eight missions per month.
Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) announced a $600 million investment over the next two years to open a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Aurora, Colorado. This facility is expected to create 500 direct jobs and an additional 1,000 indirect jobs, with an ongoing annual economic impact of $550 million. The new site will produce Swedish Match ZYN nicotine pouches to meet the growing demand for smoke-free products.
“PMI and its U.S. affiliates are accelerating their mission to move adults who smoke away from cigarettes in the U.S. by investing in new U.S. manufacturing capacity to meet the increasing demand for nicotine options that are scientifically substantiated as better alternatives,” said PMI Americas President and U.S. CEO Stacey Kennedy. The construction phase alone is projected to create nearly 5,000 jobs, with an economic impact of nearly $1 billion.
Dialum, a Chilean glass processing company, has announced plans to establish its first U.S. glass finishing factory in Ave Maria, Florida. The $25 million investment will create a 100,000-square-foot facility, with future expansion plans of an additional 60,000 to 80,000 square feet1. The factory is expected to employ 80 to 100 workers and will serve as a showroom for customers to view and order custom glass applications. “Choosing Ave Maria was an easy decision for several reasons,” said Fernando Diez Vidal, director of Dialum. "First is its ideal location between Miami and Tampa, and only a short, straightforward drive to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, where shipments of glass will arrive from suppliers." The groundbreaking is anticipated in the first quarter of 2025.
Belmark Inc., a manufacturer of printed pressure-sensitive labels, flexible packaging, and folding cartons, has broken ground on a new $99 million manufacturing facility in Allen County, Kentucky. The 156,000-square-foot plant will create 159 well-paying jobs, with an average wage of almost $37 per hour, including benefits. The facility, expected to be completed in 2026, will enhance Belmark’s manufacturing capacity to better serve its U.S. customer base.
“Belmark is excited to expand our operations to Kentucky, marking a significant milestone in our growth and commitment to innovation in the packaging industry,” said Karl Schmidt, president and CEO of Belmark. This investment is part of a broader trend of economic growth in Kentucky, with significant private-sector investments announced under Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration.
TSM Metal Works, a family-owned metal fabrication company, is set to expand its operations by establishing a new facility in Crossville, Tennessee. The company will invest $500,000 and create 20 new jobs in Cumberland County. The new 30,000-square-foot facility will cater to TSM’s metal fabrication customers both locally and nationwide, providing services such as powder coating for various industries, including construction, agriculture, and equipment manufacturing.
Mark Thibodeau, general manager of TSM Metal Works, expressed enthusiasm about the expansion, stating, "TSM is very excited about the new facility and opportunity that Cumberland County and the State of Tennessee offers. TSM is confident that the company will thrive and offer many jobs over the coming years to many families across the region." This expansion marks TSM’s first out-of-state venture, highlighting Tennessee’s favorable business climate and strategic location.
BeiGene, Ltd., a global oncology company, has inaugurated its flagship U.S. facility at the Princeton West Innovation Campus in Hopewell, New Jersey. This $800 million investment supports the company’s global expansion, featuring state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing capabilities and a clinical research and development center. The 42-acre site includes approximately 400,000 square feet of commercial-stage biologic pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, with space for future expansion. BeiGene plans to create hundreds of skilled high-tech jobs at the site by the end of 2025.
“BeiGene has experienced unprecedented global growth, and the addition of our facility at the Princeton West Innovation Campus adds manufacturing and clinical development capabilities that will further strengthen our differentiated strategy which leverages speed, efficiency and technology to advance quality medicines faster for patients,” said John V. Oyler, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of BeiGene4. The new facility will bolster BeiGene’s ability to produce innovative cancer treatments, ensuring supply chain resiliency and reducing costs.
Gov. Jim Justice and officials from Japan-based SOMAR announced the establishment of a new facility in Wood County, West Virginia, to manufacture epoxy resin products for the automotive sector. The facility, located in the Polymer Alliance Zone Industrial Park, will utilize an existing building and represents a minimum investment of $2.5 million. This project is expected to create 25 new jobs.
“We evaluated several options for our U.S. manufacturing facility, and West Virginia’s proposals and services were the best among them,” said SOMAR Corp.'s President, Mr. Futoshi Sotani. "We’re so happy with our decision to invest in West Virginia. We look forward to growing our North America business from this new location."4 SOMAR, headquartered in Tokyo, supplies renowned companies such as Toyota and Ford, marking a significant investment in West Virginia’s automotive and polymer sectors.
Schneider Electric announced a $23.8 million investment to upgrade and modernize its Seneca and Columbia manufacturing plants in South Carolina. This initiative will create 280 new production jobs, including 130 at the Seneca facility and 150 at the Columbia facility. The expanded workforce will manufacture custom power distribution products essential for electrification and energy efficiency, supporting critical infrastructure and industries such as healthcare and wastewater treatment.
Speaking at the SelectUSA Investment Summit, Schneider Electric President of North America Operations Aamir Paul stated, "This new research demonstrates why electrification is the most promising and practical means of decarbonizing industry quickly. We anticipate significant acceleration across all sectors, even hard-to-abate industry, to reach decarbonization targets and maintain economic competitiveness."
Morinaga & Co., Ltd, the parent company of Morinaga America, Inc., has announced plans to invest over $130 million in a new manufacturing facility in Mebane, North Carolina. The factory, set to open in January 2027, will support the growing demand for HI-CHEW® products in the U.S. and create over 200 jobs in the Orange County community. The 132,633 sq. foot facility will enhance production capabilities, allowing the company to produce hundreds of tons of HI-CHEW® candies annually.
“With this tremendous brand growth year over year, we are eager to maximize our production output to continue providing new, innovative HI-CHEW® products to consumers and brand fans nationwide,” said Teruhiro Kawabe (Terry), Chief Representative for the USA & President, CEO of Morinaga America, Inc4. The new factory will complement the existing North Carolina facility, which has been operational since 2015 and produces over two billion pieces of HI-CHEW® annually.
Nipro Medical Corporation has announced a significant expansion in the United States with the establishment of its first North American manufacturing facility in Greenville, North Carolina. This strategic development involves an investment of approximately $398 million over the next five years and is set to generate 232 new jobs. The new facility will produce advanced medical devices, supporting patients with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and other renal health issues.
“We are thrilled to start manufacturing our cutting-edge medical devices in the U.S., which will support local healthcare professionals and patients with a stable supply chain and reduced transportation costs,” said Tsuyoshi Yamazaki, Senior Managing Director of Global Business at Nipro4. This expansion underscores Nipro’s commitment to innovation, growth, and environmental sustainability, significantly reducing global transportation needs and cutting down on carbon emissions.
Leitner-Poma of America (LPOA) has inaugurated its new Skytrac manufacturing facility in Tooele, Utah, marking a significant expansion in its production capabilities. The company invested over $27 million in the 130,000 square-foot facility, which will serve as the headquarters and sole manufacturing base for Skytrac, an LPOA subsidiary. This new campus will enable LPOA to meet the growing demand in the ski industry and urban transport markets, creating up to 120 high-paying manufacturing jobs. The facility also includes a powerful LTW42 wind turbine, capable of covering up to 100% of the plant’s electricity needs.
“It’s a great day in Utah as we celebrate the opening of our newest, largest manufacturing facility in the U.S.,” said Daren Cole, president and CEO of LPOA4. The Tooele facility will focus on the production, design, installation, and service of fixed-grip ski lifts, supporting LPOA’s Made in America initiative and contributing to the economic success of rural Utah.
Solar Atmospheres of Michigan Inc. is expanding its Chesterfield, Michigan facility with a new 20,000-square-foot building, more than doubling its current footprint. This expansion follows the successful relocation and commissioning of ten vacuum furnaces. Bob Hill, President of Solar Atmospheres of Michigan, stated, “This expansion will create a larger shipping and receiving area to better serve our customers’ needs and position us for future growth. Come watch us grow!” The new facility aims to enhance the company’s shipping and receiving capabilities, positioning it for future growth.
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