It was “back to school” for U.S. manufacturers in September, with companies breaking ground, announcing new projects, and expanding facilities across the U.S. Over the month, we saw major expansions in the sector across multiple industries, with mega investments in the pharma and energy sectors, alongside new developments in electronics, transportation equipment, and more. Spanning thirteen states and representing billions in investment, let's explore the most exciting new manufacturing operations announced in September.
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
Eli Lilly Breaks Ground on $6.5 Billion API Facility in Texas
Eli Lilly announced plans to build a $6.5 billion, 1 million square foot active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facility in Harris County, Texas. The plant will employ more than 600 full time workers and create 1,500 construction jobs. David A. Ricks, Lilly’s chair and CEO, “By expanding our domestic footprint, we’re strengthening our supply chain, reducing reliance on overseas production, and accelerating the delivery of life-changing medicines to patients.”
Lilly Plans $5 Billion Biologics Plant in Virginia
A separate announcement from Virginia’s governor revealed that Eli Lilly will spend $5 billion on a biologics manufacturing facility in Goochland County, Virginia. The plant will make bioconjugates and monoclonal antibodies, create 650 permanent jobs and support 1,800 construction jobs. The campus will include manufacturing and laboratory space and is expected to come online later in the decade. Lilly’s David A. Ricks stated that the investment “underscores our commitment to U.S. innovation and manufacturing – creating high-quality jobs, strengthening communities, and advancing the health and well-being of Americans nationwide,”
Mölnlycke Health Care Expands Wound Care Plant in Maine
Swedish medical products company Mölnlycke will invest $135 million to expand its wound care manufacturing facility in Brunswick, Maine. The project will triple production capacity for advanced wound dressings and create new manufacturing jobs. Chief executive Zlatko Rihter stated “This expansion is a bold step forward for Mölnlycke in the U.S. It reinforces our mission to free patients and caregivers from the burden of wounds, strengthens supply resilience, and helps us to deliver high-quality wound care solutions faster, smarter, and more sustainably.”
Biocon Opens First U.S. Generics Facility in New Jersey
Biocon Generics inaugurated its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Cranbury, New Jersey. The $30 million plant spans 2 billion tablets of annual capacity and will manufacture both generic and complex oral solid dosage drugs. Executive chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw said "Biocon's first U.S. FDA approved formulations facility in New Jersey marks a new chapter in our journey of global expansion. More than a milestone, it is a reaffirmation of our purpose to serve patients wherever they are.”
Energy, Electronics & Semiconductors
Hitachi Energy to Build Large Power Transformer Plant in Virginia
Hitachi Energy will invest $457 million to expland its power transformer production facility in Virginia, creating 825 jobs Once complete, the campus will be the largest manufacturing site for large power transformers in the United States. The project will create 825 jobs and support the growing demand for transformers needed for renewable energy projects and data center expansions. CEO Andreas Schierenbeck said “Power transformers are a linchpin technology for a robust and reliable electric grid and winning the AI race. Bringing production of large power transformers to the U.S. is critical to building a strong domestic supply chain for the U.S. economy and reducing production bottlenecks, which is essential as demand for these transformers across the economy is surging.”
ABB Pours $110 Million Into U.S. Manufacturing Footprint
ABB announced $110 million of investments across four U.S. facilities. The company will expand its Emax 3 circuit breaker line in Richmond, Virginia, invest $30 million in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, upgrade its Pinetops, North Carolina plant, and invest $15 million in Senatobia, Mississippi. The projects will create nearly 200 jobs and bring new assembly lines and test centers online in 2026. Morten Wierod, ABB’s President of Electrification, stated “This $110 million investment in the US is part of our long-term strategy to support future growth in our biggest global market.”
ABB Expands Switchgear Facility in Henrico County
In a separate project, ABB will invest $28.5 million to expand its manufacturing facility in Henrico County, Virginia. The expansion adds a high power test center, additional assembly lines and a new warehouse, creating more than 100 jobs. Said ABB Electrification SVP of Industry Partnerships Franklin Sullivan, “ABB is continually investing in our workforce and advanced manufacturing footprint in the U.S. – our largest global market – to support our customers as they focus on improving energy efficiency and uptime while reducing their energy costs.”
Samsung to Build Advanced Semiconductor Fab in Texas
The Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund awarded $250 million to Samsung Austin Semiconductor toward its Taylor, Texas fabrication plant, part of a $4.73 billion capital investment. The grant supports construction of a next generation semiconductor facility that will produce advanced chips and strengthen the domestic supply chain. Samsung vice chair Young Hyun Jun said, “This grant will ensure that our semiconductor manufacturing facility in Taylor delivers the most advanced technology for our global customers and continues to reinforce the chip supply chain in the U.S. We are excited about this opportunity and look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship.”
Sila Begins Operations at Silicon Anode Plant in Washington
Battery materials company Sila opened the nation’s first automotive scale silicon anode plant at Moses Lake, Washington. The 600,000 square foot facility on a 160 acre site will initially support 2–5 GWh of capacity for Titan Silicon™ anodes and can expand to 250 GWh. Sila is partnering with local colleges to train up to 500 employees over the next three to five years. CEO Gene Berdichevsky said, “This is not just about building a factory; it is about closing the gap between innovation and manufacturing in America”
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Transportation & Mobility
Micro Bird USA Doubles Bus Production Capacity in New York
Blue Bird Corporation’s Micro Bird brand opened a 156,000 square foot plant in Plattsburgh, New York. The $38 million facility will double the company’s production capacity for Type A school buses. It employs more than 225 people and expects to hire up to 350 workers.
Said Eric Boulé, President and CEO of Micro Bird. “With our new facility, we are doubling our production capacity and increasing our ability to deliver high-quality, long-lasting small and mid-size buses to our customers.
Hennessey Doubles Manufacturing Space in Texas
Hennessey Special Vehicles is investing more than $15 million to expand its headquarters and build an advanced manufacturing facility in Sealy, Texas, doubling production output and enabling in house painting and composite manufacturing. The 80,000 square foot facility is expected to add up to 80 jobs by 2026. Founder and CEO John Hennessey said, “It doesn’t seem long ago that I was racing up Pike’s Peak and setting a speed record at Bonneville in the infancy of starting the business. I’ve been extremely blessed to turn my dream of racing and creating fast, fun vehicles from a hobby into a business with over 125 employees and more than 18,000 customers around the world.”
JR Automation to Build Global Headquarters in Michigan
Industrial robotics integrator JR Automation will invest $72.8 million to establish a global headquarters and advanced manufacturing facility in Zeeland, Michigan. The project consolidates three facilities into a new campus and will create 150 high wage jobs. CEO Dave DeGraaf said the company chose Zeeland “because it sits at the heart of a thriving automation and advanced manufacturing cluster, deepening our connections to industry partners and giving us a competitive advantage”
Yaskawa America Plans Robotics Manufacturing Campus in Wisconsin
Yaskawa America announced plans to build a new state of the art robotics manufacturing facility as part of an 800,000 square foot campus in Franklin, Wisconsin. The facility will manufacture high volume industrial robots for North American customers and consolidate operations from Illinois.
“We are proud of our cutting-edge technology, our commitment to quality, and our world-class manufacturing,” said Mike Knapek, CEO of Yaskawa America. “The unification of our facilities in Wisconsin and Illinois into a consolidated campus in Franklin positions us for strong future growth and continued innovation in the region.”
Industrial & Building Materials
Owens Corning to Build Roofing Plant in Alabama
Owens Corning selected Prattville, Alabama as the site for a 250,000 square foot asphalt shingle plant. The advanced facility will feature high automation and energy efficient processes, creating nearly 100 skilled jobs. Nico Del Monaco, president of Owens Corning Roofing, said, “The new Prattville facility will service our growing contractor network as we strengthen our U.S. manufacturing footprint … We are proud to join the Prattville community and expand Owens Corning’s presence in Alabama. This is an attractive location to service our customers, with a dedicated workforce that takes pride in producing a quality product. We look forward to deepening our engagement with the local community”
Starlab Selects Vivace to Build Space Station Structure in Louisiana
Starlab Space and Vivace announced that Vivace’s New Orleans, Louisiana facility will manufacture the primary structure for the Starlab commercial space station. The project will utilize NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility and create high skilled manufacturing jobs. Said Starlab CEO Marshall Smith, “"Selecting Vivace to lead the manufacturing of Starlab's primary structure is a major milestone," said Marshall Smith, Starlab CEO. "Starlab is meticulously engineered to deliver scalability, reliability, and mission-critical research to our partners.”
Source: IndustrySelect. (2025, 25 septiembre). New U.S. Manufacturing Operations Announced in September 2025. Industryselect. https://www.industryselect.com/blog/new-us-factories-unveiled-in-september-2025
