From Texas to Tennessee, manufacturers ramp up US production

Construction on the Toyota expansion could begin later this year, with production slated to start in 2030. The project is expected to create approximately 2,000 jobs.

MISUMI launches Americas division backed by $1 billion investment vision

Japanese industrial supplier MISUMI Group announced the launch of MISUMI Americas, a new manufacturing and supply chain organization.

The investment combines the company’s industrial components business with the AI-powered digital manufacturing capabilities of Fictiv. The move is supported by a broader $1 billion global investment initiative aimed at accelerating growth and expanding operations in North America.

MISUMI Americas will provide engineers and manufacturers access to standard, configurable and custom-fabricated parts through a unified sourcing platform designed to shorten production cycles and reduce supply chain complexity. 

The company said it will leverage manufacturing hubs across the U.S., Mexico, China, India and Japan while increasing investments in advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence.

Dave Evans, the first American appointed CEO of MISUMI Americas, said the company intends to transform traditional supply chains into “self-optimizing production systems” powered by AI and digital manufacturing tools.

Walmart opens $350 million milk processing plant in Texas

Retail giant Walmart (Nasdaq: WMT) celebrated the opening of its third company-owned milk processing facility in Robinson, Texas, representing an investment of more than $350 million and creating over 400 jobs. 

The 300,000-square-foot facility will process milk sourced from regional dairy farms and supply more than 650 Walmart and Sam’s Club locations across the South Central U.S.

Walmart said the facility will strengthen supply chain resiliency while reducing the time between dairy farms and store shelves. The investment also supports the company’s broader commitment to invest $350 billion in products made, grown or assembled in the U.S. by 2031.

XPEL expands San Antonio footprint with $110 million investment

San Antonio-based XPEL announced approximately $110 million in manufacturing and supply chain investments.

The investment includes the purchase of a four-building campus totaling roughly 435,000 square feet that will serve as the company’s North American manufacturing and operations hub.

XPEL (Nasdaq: XPEL) is a global provider of protective films and coatings

The company plans to consolidate operations into the facility over the next two years while expanding in-house manufacturing capabilities. XPEL also announced the acquisition of a manufacturing facility in China to support growth in international markets.

Arkansas lands energy and steel manufacturing projects

Arkansas secured two notable industrial projects during the past month.

Italian-based CEP USA opened its first U.S. manufacturing facility in North Little Rock, investing nearly $1 million in a plant that will produce prefabricated electrical substations. The facility is expected to create approximately 27 jobs over the next five years.

Meanwhile, steel processor Ferrosource is nearing completion of a $70 million processing facility located directly on U.S. Steel’s Big River Steel Works campus in Osceola. 

New York-based Ferrosource said operations are expected to begin in August and support more than 40 direct jobs and over 100 total jobs statewide. The facility will provide steel processing services for manufacturers across the Midwest and central U.S. while eliminating inbound freight costs through its mill-campus model.

Tennessee wins electric bicycle manufacturing hub

LEV Manufacturing announced plans to establish its first Tennessee operation in Algood, creating 288 jobs and investing $7 million in a 100,000-square-foot assembly, logistics and distribution facility. 

The plant will serve as a central hub for production and distribution of Rad Power Bikes, Serial 1 and Life EV electric bicycles.

Company executives said the project supports a broader strategy to expand U.S.-based manufacturing while collaborating with Tennessee research institutions on battery technology, product innovation and workforce development.

U.S. factories lose over 2,000 jobs in April

Despite the flurry of new manufacturing investments, federal employment data suggests the sector remains under pressure. 

The U.S. manufacturing industry lost 2,000 jobs in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, even as total nonfarm payrolls increased by 115,000 positions nationwide. 

Within manufacturing, the motor vehicles and parts sector—which includes vehicle assembly plants, trailer manufacturers and motor vehicle body and parts producers—shed 3,000 jobs during the month after adding 2,000 jobs in March and 5,100 jobs in February. 

At the same time, the Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing PMI remained in expansion territory at 52.7%, marking the fourth consecutive month of growth, with transportation equipment among the largest manufacturing industries reporting expansion. 

However, ISM’s employment index fell to 46.4%, signaling continued contraction in factory hiring, while survey respondents cited geopolitical uncertainty, tariffs and rising fuel costs as headwinds.

“Demand for manufactured goods is trending higher versus last year; however, geopolitical uncertainty and rising oil and diesel prices continue to weigh on demand,” one transportation equipment manufacturer told ISM. 

The mixed signals prompted concern from manufacturing advocates.

“I continue to be bullish on the future of American factory jobs with so much investment and construction underway in the sector, but the shocks caused by the conflict with Iran and efforts to accommodate China present significant headwinds,” Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul said in a news release.

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