Five manufacturers have announced new or expanded U.S. production facilities representing more than $1.6 billion in combined investment, according to FreightWaves, with projects spread across Texas, Illinois, Georgia, Kentucky and Arkansas.
The disclosed projects total more than $1.641 billion, excluding one company’s undisclosed investment. Three companies — Hyundai Translead, Carrier Global Corp. and Blue Bird Corp. — account for more than $1.5 billion of the announced spending and a combined 5,625 planned jobs.
The source reports that the projects include new operations for commercial trailers, school buses, commercial cooling systems and bottled beverages. For trucking companies and logistics providers, the facilities could eventually generate additional inbound shipments of raw materials and components, along with outbound movements of finished goods.
Hyundai Translead raises Illinois commitment to $600 million
Commercial trailer manufacturer Hyundai Translead said Thursday it is increasing its planned investment in two Will County, Illinois, manufacturing facilities to $600 million, up from the more than $450 million announced in March.
The company also lifted its job creation commitment from 2,500 to 3,750 full-time positions. The additional $150 million will support a third production shift and create 1,250 more jobs than originally planned.
Hyundai Translead said the expansion reflects growing customer interest in its Illinois operations and will add manufacturing capacity as the transportation industry recovers. The company makes dry van and refrigerated trailers, truck bodies and flatbeds, but did not specify which product lines the Illinois facilities will produce.
Carrier plans $600 million Fort Worth complex
Carrier Global Corp. (NYSE: CARR) announced Thursday it will invest more than $600 million over the next three years to build an advanced manufacturing and engineering center in Fort Worth, Texas.
The project will create 1,500 jobs and occupy more than 1 million square feet at AllianceTexas, a major industrial and logistics development in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Carrier expects the facility to begin operations in 2027.
The plant will manufacture advanced thermal management systems, including air-cooled and water-cooled commercial chillers used in data centers, hospitals, schools and industrial facilities. Carrier attributed the investment to strong demand for energy-efficient cooling systems and a record backlog in its commercial HVAC business. The site will also house engineering laboratories and workforce development programs.
Blue Bird picks Georgia for $300 million bus plant
School bus manufacturer Blue Bird Corp. (Nasdaq: BLBD) plans to invest approximately $300 million in a new facility in Fort Valley, Georgia, creating 375 jobs over the next three years.
The company will convert a former diesel-powered motorhome manufacturing site at 401 Wanderlodge Way into a 1-million-square-foot school bus production facility. Construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027.
The plant will build Type C school buses powered by diesel, gasoline, propane and electricity. Blue Bird, founded in 1927, currently employs more than 1,900 people in Georgia.
Niagara Bottling opens $141 million Kentucky plant
Niagara Bottling celebrated the grand opening Thursday of its new $141 million beverage manufacturing facility in Elsmere, Kentucky.
The 436,000-square-foot facility sits at the C5 Airport East Logistics Center in Kenton County and includes beverage production and distribution operations. The project will create 60 full-time jobs.
Initially announced in September 2024, the investment has grown by more than $11 million from its original estimate. Construction began in early 2025 on the 52-acre property developed by CORE5 Industrial Partners. Niagara produces bottled water and other beverages for retailers and consumer brands, including sparkling water, flavored water, sports drinks and ready-to-drink beverages.
Primo Brands opens Arkansas spring water factory
Primo Brands (NYSE: PRMB) opened a new manufacturing facility Oct. 14 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, aiming to increase production of its Mountain Valley premium spring water brand.
The 200,000-square-foot factory is the company’s first new manufacturing facility since Primo Brands was formed through a merger in 2024. Primo described the project as a multimillion-dollar investment but did not disclose an exact amount or the number of jobs created.
The facility includes a high-speed retail production line, two large-format production lines and dedicated logistics and warehouse space, and will produce Mountain Valley spring and sparkling water. Primo said the expansion responds to increasing demand for premium bottled water, with the added warehouse capacity supporting distribution to retailers, restaurants and consumers nationwide.
Freight demand implications
The source states that the five projects could generate additional freight demand for trucking companies, equipment suppliers and distribution networks as manufacturers expand domestic production.
The announcements mix projects still in development with recently opened factories. Carrier’s Fort Worth complex and Blue Bird’s Georgia plant are not expected to begin operations until 2027, while Niagara’s Kentucky facility and Primo Brands’ Arkansas site are already open.
Source: FreightWaves
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
