This week, manufacturers such as Caterpillar, Ultium Cells and others have announced investments in facilities, advanced their expansions or started projects to meet the growing demand for their products.
Here are some of the major updates happening in the industry.
caterpillar
Caterpillar will invest about a billion dollars to build a manufacturing facility in Sanford, North Carolina, that will allow it to expand production of compact construction equipment for small contractors and growing businesses, the company said Wednesday.
The investment will enable Caterpillar to develop a “modern and technological” factory with advanced manufacturing systems, automation, digital production and integrated logistics capabilities, according to a press release.
The company plans to produce skid steer loaders and telehandlers at the upcoming facility to meet growing customer demand. These machines are used in construction, landscaping and agriculture to move materials and manage jobsites.
No details about job creation, construction or incentives were disclosed.
Ultium cells
Ultium Cells, a joint venture between LG Energy Solution and General Motors, plans to invest 1 billion dollars retrofitting its battery cell manufacturing operations in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
The modifications will allow Ultium to produce lithium manganese-rich prismatic battery cells, which offer 33 percent higher energy density than lithium iron phosphate, but at a comparable cost, according to a press release. This change would make Ultium the first manufacturer to produce the technology commercially.
GM and LG Energy Solution formed their joint venture in late 2019 to support demand for electric vehicle batteries. The companies initially invested more than $2.3 billion in Spring Hill, their second facility. Then they did a $275 million expansion in 2022.
In August, Ultium restarted production of battery cells at its Ohio plant, which had been to close for seven months due to a drop in consumer demand, Reuters reported.
GM said the Spring Hill location will continue to produce high nickel batteries. The expansion is expected to create 500 jobs. Factory modifications are scheduled to begin later this year, with completion expected in 2028.
Genentech
Genentech, a maker of biopharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems, began work on $750 million expansion of its finish-fill operations in Hillsboro, Ore., on Monday.
The expansion will add 211,000 square feet of space, doubling the size of the existing site, according to a news release. It is also expected to create 250 jobs, including roles that combine manufacturing expertise with digital skills in artificial intelligence, automation and robotics.
The expanded facility will add device-filling capabilities that enhance drug manufacturing in oncology, neurology and immunology, Genentech said. Operations will begin in 2031.
Genentech established its 75-acre Hillsboro campus in 2006. The expansion is part of a broader $50 billion commitment by Genentech and its parent company Roche Group to increase its manufacturing and research and development footprint in the United States.
USA Airlines
Avio USA, a subsidiary of Italy-based aerospace company Avio, unveiled a $500 million budget on Tuesday. solid rocket motor manufacturing facility in Hurt, Virginia, which adds capacity for the production of US missiles and munitions.
The 900,000-square-foot plant will produce thousands of solid rocket motors a year to support the U.S. defense industry, including programs for Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, according to a news release. It is expected to create approx 1,500 jobs in southern Virginia.
First Governor Abigail Spanberger announced the project in February The state had said that Avio will be entitled to a special incentive of up to $97.7 million based on investment size and job creation potential.
Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2028, and production will begin in early 2029.
