As we head into the third quarter of 2019, the U.S. manufacturing sector continues to throw us mixed signals.
On one hand, the Institute for Supply Management’s barometer of industrial activity cooled to a three-year low and a number of U.S. regions surveyed by the Federal Reserve reported declines in activity.
Most notably, the Fed’s Empire State manufacturing survey posted its largest-ever monthly decline.
On the other hand, the U.S. posted a surprise gain in manufacturing output in May, while the labor report, out July 5th, finds the nation added 17,000 manufacturing jobs in June after several months of little to no increases.
The electronics industry fared particularly well last month, with computer and electronic products adding the most jobs, up 6.5%.
Related: U.S. Manufacturing Employment Rebounds. Here are the Month's Big Winners:
And there’s been no shortage of manufacturing companies announcing new investments.
Across the U.S. a number of new plant openings and expansions were announced, some of which we will take a closer look at today.
Spanning seven states and representing multiple industries, billions in investments and thousands of new jobs, these are just a few of the major manufacturing announcements made in recent weeks.
New Manufacturing Plant Openings and Expansions
Italy-based automotive supplier Tibernia Group announced plans to establish a new manufacturing plant in Detroit.
As reported by Automotive News Europe, Tibernia supplies metal stampings for the auto industry, and plans to set up shop at a former American Axle & Manufacturing site, which shuttered in 2012 and has remained vacant since.
In addition, Barron Industries Inc. announced plans to open a new 10,000 square-foot industrial site in Oxford. Barron Industries purchased the site just last month, according to Crains’s Detroit Business and will devote the manufacturing space to fulfill new aerospace contracts.
This follows a number of recent announcements for the state of Michigan, detailed in our report: New Milestones and Challenges in Michigan's Manufacturing Sector
For instance, Fiat-Chrysler announced they will investing $4.5 billion in the state of Michigan, with plans to create 6,500 new jobs, while GM unveiled plans to invest $300 million in the state.
Meanwhile, German auto supplier Webatso announced plans to establish a new vehicle roof and heating systems plant in Plymouth Township.
Ohio:
Another Italian company, MODULA, Inc., which provides industrial automated material handling equipment and systems for various types of manufacturing operations announced plans that it will invest $26.5 million to establish a new manufacturing hub in Franklin, Ohio, creating 100 new positions.
In a press release, the company stated: “After an accurate analysis, we chose Ohio and particularly the Cincinnati area because of the excellent position, the great industrial presence and the high professionalism of JobsOhio and REDI Cincinnati, who helped us in the whole process. We are sure that Modula will have a positive impact in the local community of Franklin, and we are excited to start our new adventure there.”
As reported by the Boulder Daily Camera, chemical manufacturer Boulder Scientific unveiled plans this month to expand manufacturing at its plant in Longmont. Boulder makes specialty chemicals for the plastics, microelectronics, defense and aerospace industries.
The additional manufacturing space will be used to expand its offerings to the plastics industry.
On the pharmaceutical manufacturing front, Selkirk Pharma announced plans to build a new manufacturing plant near Spokane, Washington.
The contract pharmaceutical start-up plans to build a 65,000 square-foot plant on the site located in the Pacific Northwest Technology Park, according to the Spokesman-Review, and will focus on manufacturing injectable drug products.
The Spokesman-Review cited a few other manufacturing projects that had recently been announced in Spokane, including Exotic Metals plans to expand its sheet metal facility in the West Plains section of the city and California-based Mullen Technologies’ plans to assemble its new Qiantu sports car in the city.
Meanwhile in Arizona, Times Microwave Systems announced it had successfully completed an expansion of its facility in Mesa.
Times Microwave manufactures coaxial cables and cable assemblies, and is headquartered in Wallingford, Connecticut.
The company expects the facility to provide increased capacity and additional capabilities, as well as establish a risk-mitigation systems, according to a statement made by Times Microwave System’s General Manager.
Heading down to Alabama, Aerojet Rocketdyne opened its new rocket propulsion facility in Huntsville to much fanfare.
According to the Alabama News Center, the new 136,000 square-feet plant will focus on producing solid rocket motor cases for the Standard Missile 3.
Aerojet’s Defense Business Unit has called Huntsville home since 2016 and has been a major employer in the city.
The addition of this new facility will serve as a further economic boon to state.
Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce noted: “Huntsville’s legacy as the cradle of the nation’s missile program and a hotbed for the development of rocket propulsion systems makes it the perfect home for Aerojet Rocketdyne’s new advanced manufacturing facility.”
Speaking of rockets, next door in Mississippi, Los Angeles-based Relativity Space announced it is planning to establish a 3D rocket printing facility at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County.
Relativity will invest $59 million in the new project and will avail of 220,000 square-feet of manufacturing space in which to construct a new rocket design using 3D printers.
Finding Domestic Suppliers
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IndustryNet is also a direct path for U.S manufacturers to increase their visibility among domestic industrial procurers.
