Brand New Manufacturing Facilities Announced in Q1 2024

Throughout the first three months of 2024, there have been various announcements of upgrades and expansions in the manufacturing sector. IndustryWeek has compiled a list of some of the new factory announcements made so far this year.

• Motion technology company Schaeffler will expand its Ohio operations with a greenfield automotive manufacturing plant in Dover, Ohio. A total of $230 million will be used for construction of the 130,000-square-foot facility and other Ohio projects until 2032. Creating 450 job opportunities by 2032, the plant will manufacture electric beam axles and electric drivetrain systems to support the auto industry’s shift to electric. Construction will begin later this year, and the facility is set to be completed in Q3 2025.
• Solarcycle will create over 600 full-time jobs with its new solar panel recycling and glass manufacturing facility in Cedartown, Georgia. The company, with headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, will invest an estimated $344 million for the Polk County plant. Construction is slated to begin this year, and the facility will be operational in 2026.
• Charlotte, North Carolina, will be the home of Siemens Energy’s first transformer production facility in the U.S. An investment of $149 million will be used to construct the factory, as well as add to existing operations in the state. The large power transformers (LPTs) built at this facility will be able to handle increased demand for grid stability. The project is expected to bring 559 new local jobs, and manufacturing is set to begin in early 2026.
• With a final investment decision expected later this year, Lake Charles Methanol has announced plans to construct a $3.24 billion manufacturing facility to produce low-carbon intensity methanol and other chemicals in Louisiana. The proposed plant would produce around 3.6 million tons per year of methanol. Commercial operations are estimated to begin in late 2027, and 123 direct new jobs are expected to be added in Calcasieu Parish.
• Paper and packaging solutions company WestRock has announced plans for a new corrugated box facility in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. The company expects the plant to improve sustainability with reduced energy consumption along with other methods. Construction of the corrugated converting facility is estimated to cost $140 million and is expected to be completed next year.
• Roofing and waterproofing company GAF will create over 130 high skilled jobs in management, engineering and operations at its new shingle facility in Newton, Kansas. Manufacturing at the roofing plant is set to begin in 2027, and it is expected to reach full production capacity by mid- 2029.