March has seen large manufacturing announcements from Apple, GE Aerospace and Toyota. Here are five other smaller but notable investments ranging from AeroVironment to TerraPower, in alphabetical order.

AeroVironment

AeroVironment plans to invest more than $30 million to expand its manufacturing operations in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The investment will expand operations across its three existing manufacturing sites in the Sandia Science & Technology Park while supporting major capital equipment purchases and workforce growth. The project is supported by an initial $5 million from New Mexico and $1 million from Albuquerque under the Local Economic Development Act and is tied to hiring milestones.

AeroVironment acquired Empirical Systems Aerospace, a producer of unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility platforms, for $200 million. “ESAero is recognized for its deep engineering expertise, innovative electric and hybrid propulsion capabilities, rapid aerospace prototyping, and AS9100 Certified UAS manufacturing,” AeroVironment said in a news release. It said the purchase will help the firm transition from design to advanced manufacturing, as well as strengthen its ability to produce electric and hybrid propulsion systems.

Fanuc America

Fanuc America announced plans for a $90 million investment for a new 840,000-square-foot facility in Michigan providing space for the potential expansion of the company’s existing U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities for robots. Scheduled for completion in late 2027, the project expands Fanuc America’s engineering and advanced manufacturing to support growing demand for automation solutions across North America, including physical AI, virtual commissioning and digital-twin technologies, the company said in a news release.

Hyundai Translead

Hyundai Translead plans to expand its trailer-manufacturing operations into the United States with two advanced manufacturing facilities in Will County, Illinois. The $450 million investment will increase the company’s annual capacity and create about 2,500 full-time jobs, it said in a news release. According to Hyundai Translead, the new facilities will span 52 acres comprising former Caterpillar and Lion Electric sites. The company said they will enhance logistics capabilities and product delivery by reducing landed costs and lead times, as well as leverage a growing dealer network.

Siemens

Siemens plans to spend $165 million on building new facilities in North and South Carolina this year, the company said in a news release. In North Carolina, a 131,000-square-foot facility in Raleigh will assemble Siemens’ integrated power delivery solutions, and a 101,000-square-foot site in Wendell will localize production of medium-voltage protection and automation devices. In addition, Siemens’ Wendell-based Electrification and Automation U.S. headquarters will expand local switch gear production. Collectively, the facilities will add 350 jobs. In South Carolina, Siemens is opening a new 120,000-square-foot facility in Spartanburg that will house the company’s lighting panel production and distribution center. In Roebuck, the company’s current facility will also add 22,000 square feet to increase busway production capacity and additional fabrication capabilities.

TerraPower

Nuclear science company TerraPower will spend $450 million to build a radioisotope manufacturing facility in Philadelphia that will produce actinium-225 to help develop cancer-fighting drugs. The company said its development of an East Coast manufacturing facility, along with expanding capacity in its existing Everett, Washington, facility will substantially increase production capacity of actinium-225.

According to TerraPower, its new Bellwether Laboratory will expand the supply of actinium-225 and certify the product with Current Good Manufacturing Practice standards. The project features a multiyear buildout, with production of beginning in 2029. Pennsylvania is investing $10 million to support the project, which TerraPower said will create 225 new full-time jobs over the next three years. The company is also eligible to apply for the state’s Manufacturing Tax Credit program and the Qualified Manufacturing and Innovation Reinvestment Deduction program, which could provide significant tax savings.

By: DocMemory
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