< PreviousWORLD REPORTS 16 JULY 2023 SITE SELECTION by ALEXIS ELMORE alexis.elmore@siteselection.com Moderna’s International Growth Reaches Kenya and the Philippines B etween March and May 2023 Moderna announced Kenya and the Philippines were selected for a new mRNA manufacturing facility and Enterprise Solutions Hub, respectively. The manufacturing facility in Kenya will be the company’s fi rst location in Africa and will produce 500 million vaccine doses annually. The facility joins other Moderna mRNA manufacturing commitments in the U.S., Canada, Australia and the UK, and will introduce surge capacity for rapid response to public health emergencies in Africa and across the world. Meanwhile, the company expands its footprint into the Philippines to providing enterprise solutions to the Asia Pacifi c market. The location was selected based on its talent base, infrastructure and business climate. The Hub will begin operations in Q3 2023 and anticipates hiring up to 50 at the site. In addition, Moderna announced plans to open a commercial facility in the Philippines in the future. The company operates two other Enterprise Solutions Hubs in Atlanta, Georgia, and Warsaw, Poland. These new locations will support Moderna’s growing demand in international markets. Photo courtesy of Moderna. More Chips For Poland and Germany I ntel said on June 16 it will invest $4.6 billion in Wrocław, Poland, for a new semiconductor assembly and test plant. “Poland is already home to Intel operations and is well positioned to work with Intel sites in Germany and Ireland. It is also very cost-competitive with other manufacturing locations globally and off ers a great talent base that we are excited to help to grow,” said Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger. Three days later, the company announced a revised letter of intent with the German government for a €30 billion investment in two new fabs in Magdeburg, the capital of Saxony-Anhalt known as “Silicon Junction.” The first facility is expected to enter production in four to five years following the European Commission’s approval of an incentive package. Intel’s new Poland location is well positioned to work with Intel sites in Ireland and Germany. Rendering courtesy of Intel India is one of the world’s fastest-growing industrial economies. Within fi ve years, the operational stock of industrial robots has more than doubled, to reach 33,220 units in 2021. This corresponds to an average annual growth rate of 16% since 2016.” — Marina Bill, President of the International Federation of Robotics, on India entering the top 10 in annual robot installations SITE SELECTION JULY 2023 17 Alumina Supply to Grow On the Baltic Coast R usal, Russia’s largest aluminum producer, announced in June 2023 plans to strengthen its domestic supply of alumina with a $4.8 billion investment for a new manufacturing plant in Ust-Luga. Positioned along the Baltic Sea, two hours southwest of St. Petersburg, Russia, the project will introduce four technological production lines and improve Ust-Luga’s port infrastructure. Construction will take place in two phases — phase one will bring 2.4 million tons of alumina by 2028 with potential to double capacity by phase two completion in 2032. This investment will create 7,500 new jobs. By 2032, Rusal will produce over 4 million tons of alumina annually. Photo courtesy of Rusal Saudi Arabia Powers Up A joint venture between NEOM Green Hydrogen Company (NGHC), ACWA Power and Air Products will bring the world’s largest green hydrogen production facility to Saudi Arabia’s Oxagon port city. The $8.4 billion investment is supported by $6.1 billion from 23 local, regional and international banks and fi nancial institutions. Air Products was selected as the contractor and system integrator for the project and signed a 30- year off -take agreement with NGHC for all green ammonia produced at the site. The facility will use 4 gigawatts of both solar and wind energy to support 600 metric tons per day of carbon-free hydrogen as operations begin in 2026. “At scale, this project is the fi rst of its kind internationally, leading the world in the hydrogen revolution. Harnessing the energy of NEOM’s abundant natural resources, NGHC’s project will pave the way for the large-scale adoption of green hydrogen, while driving Saudi Vision 2030’s sustainable development goals,” said NGHC CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr. Saudi Arabia’s Oxagon port city gains the world’s largest green hydrogen production facility. Photo courtesy of NEOM Hyperscale in Cyberjaya V antage Data Centers announced in May that it will establish its second location in Cyberjaya, Malaysia. The $3 billion investment aims to address increased demand for hyperscale data center services. The strategic location will provide connectivity to major cities such as Singapore, Bangkok and Jakarta. The campus, called KUL2, will house 10 facilities on over 2.7 million sq. ft. with a total of 256 megawatts (MW) of IT capacity by 2025. The site is being constructed adjacent to Vantage’s original complex, which is in the midst of expansion for a fourth 16-MW facility. Upon completion, both campuses will provide Vantage with 287 MW of IT capacity, with goals of establishing Malaysia as a leading digital hub. KUL2 is coming to Cyberjaya, Malaysia. Rendering courtesy of Vantage Data CentersNORTH AMERICAN REPORTS 18 JULY 2023 SITE SELECTION by ALEXIS ELMORE alexis.elmore@siteselection.com Philadelphia’s Molecular Solution I n May, in-vitro diagnostics company bioMérieux shared news of its new molecular innovation center in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard. The 32,000-sq.-ft. site will support the company’s xPro Program and Predictive Diagnostics Innovation Center, which services food and beverage, dietary supplement and cannabis companies. Here these industries can develop custom testing solutions to advance molecular diagnostic testing services, quality assurance and overall product safety. “The new bioMérieux site in Philadelphia is the gateway to expand our capacity to generate leading edge molecular and genomic solutions for our food customers worldwide,” said bioMérieux Industrial Microbiology Senior Vice President Americas Miguel Villa. Rendering courtesy of bioMérieux Solidifi ed in Nuevo León T ernium announced in June 2023 plans to invest $3.2 billion to construct a steelworks and cold rolling plant in Nuevo León, Mexico. In its site selection process the company fi rst considered a location in Texas, ultimately deciding Mexico was a better fi t due to its established presence. The steel manufacturer’s new facility will be housed on the company’s existing 1,079-acre Pesquería site, aiding in increased production capacity to meet international steel demand. Construction on the project, described by Ternium CEO Máximo Vedoya as the company’s largest investment yet, is set to begin in December 2023. It is anticipated to become operational in 2026, possessing its own carbon capture capacity and using treated wastewater during production processes. Photo courtesy of Ternium Georgia EV Investment Rolls On H yundai Motor Group’s growth in Georgia’s Bryan County, located outside the city of Savannah, continues. Construction has already begun on the company’s $5.5 billion metaplant for EV vehicle and battery production which was announced last year, which will create more than 8,000 jobs. In May a $4.3 billion investment was announced by a JV between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution (LGES) for a battery cell manufacturing plant adjacent to Hyundai’s metaplant. By 2025, the JV will produce 30 gigawatts and 300,000 batteries annually to support Hyundai, Kia and Genesis EV models. “With this JV,” said a release from the companies, “LGES now has seven battery plants currently operating or being constructed in the U.S., where the company is concentrating most of its resources to expand the production capacity.” Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group SITE SELECTION JULY 2023 19 Space Training Goes Full Force T he U.S. Air Force announced that Florida’s Patrick Space Force base is the preferred location to house its Space Training and Readiness Command Headquarters (STARCOM) and Space Delta 10 unit. Site surveys conducted by the Air Force led to Florida as the lone candidate for the STARCOM HQ and Delta 10 space doctrine and wargaming unit. New Mexico’s Kirtland Air Force Base will house Delta 11, which will focus on range and aggressors combat testing and training. Additionally, Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado was selected as its environmental testing and evaluation Delta 12 unit. A Space Force training exercise takes place in April at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado. Photo by Judi Tomich courtesy of U.S. Space Force Stronger In Indiana O n top of Nucor’s $290 million modernization projects at its steel manufacturing mini-mill in Crawfordsville, Indiana, the company announced plans to build a $115 million tower and structures plant there in June 2023. Due to increased demand, the new facility will aid the company in supplying manufacturers within the EV and energy industries. “Nucor has been doing business in Indiana since 1972, and today we have more than 2,500 teammates working at 20 diff erent locations across the state,” said Laurent De May, general manager of Nucor Towers & Structures. “We are excited to build on that history with our new Towers & Structures production facility.” Construction on the project will begin this year with operations set to go live in 2025. The new facility will add to the company’s roster of over 20 locations in Indiana. Photo courtesy of Nucor The Middle Mile program will invest more than $900 million in the infrastructure needed to connect communities, military bases and tribal lands to the Internet, lower the cost of access, and increase bandwidth. Much like how the Interstate highway system connected every community in America to regional and national systems of highways, this program will help us connect communities across the country to regional and national networks that provide quality, aff ordable high-speed Internet access.” — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on the Biden-Harris Administration’s $930 million internet investment across 35 states and Puerto Rico. C apital spending on major projects in Atlantic Canada is expected to increase by % to nearly C$ billion* in , says the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC). e Major Projects Inventory (MPI) released by APEC in June identifi es capital projects in various stages of development throughout Atlantic Canada, with a total potential investment value of $ billion. Some of those projects are infrastructure. And some are coming in one of the region’s strongest sectors: cybersecurity. ales North America, a division of the French global defense and technology company that hired more than , new employees last year to grow to approximately , positions in Canada and the United States, continues to fortify its Atlantic Canadian footprint. In April, the company announced a new National Digital Excellence Centre in the Cyber Centre at Knowledge Park in Fredericton, New Brunswick, to strengthen its cybersecurity capabilities in industrial systems. It is the second digital hub of the Group in addition to the NDEC based in Ebbw Vale, Wales, located , miles due east across the Atlantic. ales also has a strong partnership with Montréal-based incubator/accelerator Centech, whence it fosters connections with that region’s AI capabilities as well as with startups across the nation. NDECs are R&D facilities that enable small- and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro-enterprises to test and develop digital transformation projects alongside large corporations. “ e NDEC is being established in partnership with the University of New Brunswick’s McKenna Institute and local economic development agency Ignite, with support from Opportunities New Brunswick (ONB) and from the Government of Canada, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA),” the company announced. ONB is investing up to $. million in the form of a payroll rebate over fi ve years to support ales’ continental expansion of its UK-based NDEC in Canada and establishing its North American Cyber Security Operations Centre. It is estimated that the facility will contribute up to $ million in direct provincial GDP over a fi ve- year period. ATLANTIC CANADA 20 JULY 2023 SITE SELECTION Talent Is the Key to Sustaining Cybersecurity Leadership in Atlantic Canada Cyclists cross the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where two major cybersecurity projects have recently landed. Photo Courtesy of Tourism New Brunswick * ALL FIGURES IN CANADIAN DOLLARS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED (JUNE 20 EXCHANGE RATE: C$1 = US$0.75) by ADAM BRUNS adam.bruns@siteselection.com“Together, we will collaborate across a talent-rich innovation value chain — educational institutions, academia, start-ups, small- and medium-sized businesses, industry and governments — to develop the cyber technologies, capabilities and resilience Canada needs to build a future we can all trust,” said Chris Pogue, CEO, Thales Canada. In response to a query from Site Selection, Pogue writes, “Thales is among the many companies that are coming to see, know and experience first-hand that Atlantic Canada has its finger on the pulse of digital innovation and growth,” he writes. “The opportunities to collaborate across a dynamic and talent-rich ecosystem make it a great place for us to invest.” Report Shines Light on Digital Talent Shortage The digital sector has faced labor availability challenges, says a report issued in August 2022 by the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council. “Rapid digital adoption during the pandemic has boosted employment to over 37,000 in core digital occupations,” the report said of a sector that includes information, communications and technology (ICT) jobs. The ICT sector accounted for $4.4 billion of Atlantic Canada’s real GDP in 2021 or about 4% of the total, APEC said. The report noted that 11% of jobs in the sector are filled by Canadian immigrants. APEC’s MPI report in June said immigration and positive net migration from other provinces added more than 120,000 to the region’s population over the last two years, while spending on large housing developments is expected to be nearly $900 million higher in 2023 compared to 2019. “Digital job vacancies in Atlantic Canada have grown faster than those nationally throughout the pandemic,” said the report. “Strong demand for workers and labor shortages pushed average wages up 13% since 2020 Q4,” although wages remained 6% below the national level in the digital sector. Job openings for computer system professionals were growing fastest in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. ONB is on the case, with institutions collaborating to accelerate the cyber cluster and “build capacity in the province with a three-fold projected growth over the next five years bringing the total annual enrollment to nearly 500 students in cybersecurity-related programming and a net new talent pool of more than 1,300 students in cybersecurity-related careers.An increase of upskilling and micro-credentialing is also in progress.” Those credentials will be needed: Among the projects landing in the province is IBM’s new IBM Client Innovation Centre (CIC) in Fredericton, which the company said in December would ignite the creation of 250 new jobs in New Brunswick. The company’s global network of CICs now features five centers across Canada, including Halifax, Montreal and Gatineau in Quebec and a recently announced CIC in Calgary. “Canadian businesses are adopting technologies today including Hybrid Cloud and AI at an accelerated rate, and to deliver successful business transformation it is critical these businesses have the right skill set and talent in place,” said Dave McCann, president of IBM Canada. “We are committed to supporting this growing need by expanding our network of Client Innovation Centres across Canada. The IBM CIC in New Brunswick will further support the province’s focus on fostering local tech talent, creating jobs and improving workforce skills training.” SITE SELECTION JULY 2023 23 New Thinking Needed to Beef Up Cyber Workforce If you can’t fill out your IT security staff, maybe have a look within. T he shortage of cybersecurity workers, a perennial challenge for public institutions and businesses large and small, has long been described as a “crisis,” more urgently so as post-pandemic reliance on digital communication — exemplified by those ubiquitous Zoom meetings — has opened expanded avenues for getting hacked, ransomed or compromised in numerous other ways. According to CyberSeek, a project whose partners include the labor market analyst Lightcast, the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education and the IT certifying body CompTIA, unfilled cybersecurity positions numbered 663,434 in June. That’s slightly more than half the total of the nation’s employed cyber workforce. It’s typically viewed strictly as a talent issue. Witness myriad statewide initiatives to develop that “next generation” of cyber sleuths. In California, which boasts the nation’s most robust cyber workforce (121,495) but also the most IT security job openings (69,213), Prof. Tony Coulson of California State University, San Bernadino referred to it as an “all hands on deck” moment during a recent online symposium sponsored by the California Council on Science & Technology. “We need the 18-year-olds,” he said. “But not just them. We need everybody. We need that person who’s trying to reskill. We need veterans. We need homeschoolers.” But a CompTIA official who spoke with me in June suggests that all those open IT positions reflect more than just a shortfall of workers. Yes, we could use more cyber defenders, believes CompTIA Chief Technology Evangelist Dr. James Stanger. But if an organization has an IT security staffing shortage, the remedy might lie in taking a closer look at its needs and aligning them to a labor force that is out there already. “We are over-reliant on four-year degrees,” Stanger says. “There are a lot of smart people out there and a lot of levels of training. Yes, we want good people, but a college degree is not necessarily an indicator that you’ve picked up those necessary skills. So, what we’re doing,” he laments, “is applying a 1960s model by GARY DAUGHTERS gary.daughters@siteselection.com CYBERSECURITY Photo: Getty ImagesNext >