Apple supplier Jabil plans $500M venture for AI infrastructure

Company plans manufacturing and workforce infrastructure expansion across Southeastern U.S.

Electronic components maker Jabil said they are seeing increasing demand for AI infrastructure in the U.S. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Key Takeaways:

  • Jabil, a global electronics component maker, is investing $500 million to expand its AI data center infrastructure in the Southeastern U.S.
  • This investment will include new facilities, capital expenditures, and workforce development, aiming for operational status by mid-2026.
  • The expansion is part of Jabil's strategy to diversify its portfolio and strengthen its U.S. presence, aligning with growing demand for AI data center infrastructure.
  • Jabil's investment follows similar large-scale commitments from other tech companies like Apple, Nvidia, and Foxconn, indicating a significant trend of increased U.S.-based manufacturing in the technology sector.

Electronics component maker Jabil is betting on surging infrastructure demand for AI data centers throughout the U.S.

Jabil (NYSE: JBL) said on Tuesday that it’s investing $500 million over the next several years to expand its cloud and artificial intelligence data center infrastructure for its customers. 

The investment includes large-scale production facilities, capital investments and workforce development. Jabil plans to build the facility in the Southeast U.S. and be operational by mid-2026.

“This initiative is a key element of our long-term strategy to diversify our commercial portfolio and strengthen Jabil’s presence in the U.S.,” CEO Mike Dastoor said in a news release. “While the geopolitical landscape remains dynamic, our position as a U.S.-based company with a significant domestic footprint enables us to help the world’s leading brands navigate challenges.”

Based in St. Petersburg, Florida,  Jabil is a global manufacturing and supply chain solutions company. 

Jabil’s customers include major brands in logistics, packaging, mobility, automotive, wearables, aerospace, enterprise, digital home, point-of-sale, printing and energy. Some of the company’s largest clients include Apple, UPS and Amazon.

Jabil has 30 facilities across the U.S. and more than 100 worldwide, with investments in automation, robotics and process optimization. 

The company’s $500 million investment follows recent announcements by tech companies Apple, Nvidia and Foxconn, to create manufacturing facilities in the U.S.

In February, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) announced it will invest more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, including a major facility in Houston.

Nvidia (Nasdaq: NVDA) said in April that they plan to invest $500 billion over the next four years to build AI super computers in the U.S., through partnerships with TSMC, Foxconn, Wistron, Amkor and SPIL.

Nvidia’s investments and partnerships will include a semiconductor chips facility in Arizona and AI supercomputer plant in Houston.

Taiwan-based tech company Foxconn recently said it’s investing $450 million in a 100-acre property in Houston to build an AI server manufacturing facility.

Noi Mahoney

Noi Mahoney is a Texas-based journalist who covers cross-border trade, logistics and supply chains for FreightWaves. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English in 1998. Mahoney has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working for newspapers in Maryland and Texas. Contact nmahoney@freightwaves.com