< Previous20 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION NORTH AMERICAN REPORTS Ontario Selected for SMR Milestone T oronto-based power company Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has set out to construct the fi rst commercial, grid-scale Small Modular Reactor (SMR) in North America by 2030. In May, OPG began work on the fi rst of four planned SMRs at the company’s Darlington Nuclear site in Bowmanville, located in Ontario’s Municipality of Clarington. The initial BWRX-300 SMR will introduce 300 megawatts (MW) of low-carbon power fi t to power 300,000 homes. Once complete, OPG’s SMRs will produce 1,200 MW of electricity, delivering a C$38.5 billion impact to Canada’s GDP over the next 65 years, according to the Conference Board of Canada. “OPG is proud to be leading this fi rst-of-a-kind project,” said OPG President and CEO Nicolle Butcher. “With the province’s robust nuclear supply chain and our successful track record on nuclear projects, particularly our Darlington Refurbishment, we are confi dent we will be able to deliver the fi rst SMR unit for Ontario, on-time and on-budget.” Amazon and WhiteFiber Look to North Carolina A I infrastructure expansion is top of mind for Amazon Web Services, as the company looks to grow its capabilities on the East Coast. North Carolina is set to gain a $10 billion investment as generative AI is driving demand for increased cloud infrastructure and compute power. “This investment will position North Carolina as a hub for cutting-edge technology, create hundreds of high-skilled jobs and drive signifi cant economic growth,” said Amazon Chief Global Aff airs and Legal Offi cer David Zapolsky. “We look forward to partnering with state and local leaders, local suppliers and educational institutions to nurture the next generation of talent.” Amazon’s investment will include support to the state’s higher education institutions, K-12 schools and workforce development organizations to create training programs and work-based learning opportunities for talent, as 500 new tech jobs are expected to be created. The project was announced in early June two days after a $1 billion, 1-million-sq.-ft. data center campus commitment from WhiteFiber on a parcel in Madison, North Carolina, in the Piedmont Triad region along I-85 between Charlotte and Raleigh. Amazon Web Services returns to North Carolina to better position the state as an innovation hub. Photo courtesy of Amazon by ALEXIS ELMORE alexis.elmore@siteselection.com OPG’s Darlington Nuclear site expansion will support 3,700 direct jobs and 18,000 construction jobs per year. Photo courtesy of OPG FDI Trends in U.S. Manufacturing TOP FDI SOURCE MARKETS TOP DESTINATION STATES Japan South Carolina Germany Texas Canada Ohio United Kingdom Georgia France North Carolina Source: Moody’s Orbis Crossborder Investment Database SITE SELECTION JULY 2025 21 Modernization in Michigan W ith $388 million in hand, Stellantis has selected Van Buren Township in Michigan as the location for the automotive manufacturer’s new Metro Detroit Megahub. Dedicated to Stellantis’ Mopar service parts and distribution network, the facility will improve order speeds while enhancing storage effi ciency. “This investment refl ects our commitment to innovation, sustainability and operational excellence, while also creating a modern, high- tech workplace for our employees,” said Mopar North America Head and Senior Vice President Darren Bradshaw. The key to these distribution operations is the company’s AutoStore system, using compact robots throughout the plant to retrieve and deliver parts for employees. The Metro Detroit Megahub will aid consolidation of Stellantis parts distribution centers in Michigan and Wisconsin, as the company plans to relocate nearly 500 employees from these locations. Made for North America O ver the next three years, consumer goods manufacturer Unilever will inject $1.5 billion into its Mexico operations. The initiative will provide a production capacity boost with integration of new manufacturing lines and increased digitalization eff orts in support of the company’s popular beauty and personal care brands such as Dove and Sedal. The fi rst step in Unilever’s approach includes an over $407 million production facility to be constructed in the state of Nuevo León’s Salinas Victoria municipality. Once complete, the Nuevo León plant will cater to demands in North American markets. Overall, Unilever anticipates creating 1,200 direct and indirect jobs across Mexico by 2028. Aerospace Manufacturer Flies South by Northwest T he Shoal River Industrial Park, located in northwestern Florida’s Okaloosa County, has been selected by Michigan-based aircraft engine manufacturer Williams International for a $1 billion investment to construct a high-volume aviation gas turbine engine production facility in the county by 2026. The company spent two years looking across the nation for the ideal location, ultimately selecting Florida for its 250,000-sq.-ft. plant. FloridaCommerce partnered with CareerSource Florida, Florida’s Great Northwest, Space Florida, Okaloosa County and Triumph Gulf Coast to attract the project. “We are grateful to the Triumph board and for the strong, unifi ed support from all of our Florida stakeholders that will enable us to create many high-quality, high-technology jobs producing the world’s best gas turbine engines,” said Williams International President and CEO Gregg Williams. The project will be built out across three phases, with an additional 500,000 sq. ft. of facilities planned at the site by 2036. The Van Buren Township project builds upon the $120 million Stellantis has invested in its U.S. parts and services operations since 2023. Photo courtesy of Stellantis Williams International’s project enhances Okaloosa County’s growing aerospace ecosystem. Image of Okaloosa County coat of arms by zloyel: Getty Images Unilever’s commitment to Mexico underscores President Claudia Sheinbaum’s “Plan Mexico” aiming to drive foreign investment in the country. Photo courtesy of Unilever22 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION AFRICA T he spread of generative AI across the continent of Africa has been providing solutions in retail, telecommunications and heavy industry for years, with Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa emerging as leading AI tech and innovation hubs in sub-Saharan Africa in particular. Practical applications of AI technology in Africa have included supporting transportation, food and medicine delivery, agricultural and workforce development. Some leaders have been able to alchemize the resources and minds Africa has to off er. Putting Africa on the AI Map Alexander Tsado, co-founder, COO and CPO of Ahura AI, a San Francisco-based AI tutoring company that focuses on upskilling workers, has a long history in the AI sector. Tsado, a former Nvidia product manager, is also a co-founder and board member of Allianceai, a Johannesburg-based organization that supports Africans and African Americans getting involved in the AI industry. In Allianceai developed a project listing AI startup companies in Africa, literally and fi guratively putting Africa on the map for AI. e impact was fast and exciting. “It was a massive visual representation that led to a shift in mindset,” Tsado says. “Before then it was hard to have the conversation about AI in Africa with large companies in Europe and the U.S. But with the article, people were like ‘Wow — there are at least AI companies in Africa?’ ” Interested entities such as the Rockefeller Foundation, the UN and UNICEF came forward to connect with those fi rst highlighted AI startups in Africa. As of , the number of AI companies in Africa is estimated at ,. Speaking to the diff erences between AI models being built in Africa and those being made elsewhere, Tsado discussed what could make African AI diff erent. It all boils down to choices. He describes an in-person workshop in Kenya where the audience was untrusting of AI, “scared of the way that AI is built in the USA — increasing effi ciency and productivity by KELLY BARRAZA kelly.barraza@siteselection.com Building out the AI infrastructure and workforce in Africa proves to be an ambitious and necessary undertaking. Will Africa Be the Unlikely Winner in the International AI Race? Nairobi, Kenya Photo by espiegle: Getty Images24 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION — taking away jobs and tools. We try to placate the message. “I think about mobile tools for health workers,” he says. “If you are able to make a primary health worker smarter with the tool they are using, we will get more work.” He say supplementing individuals with AI tools can allow for more jobs in fi elds like teaching and support vital industry sectors like transportation and agriculture. An early follower of Zindi, a South African startup that hosts a network of over , Africa-based data scientists in data science-based competitions, Tsado says the company has proved to be a runaway success in solving the talent problem for AI in Africa and is even leveraged by some African governments for fi nding machine learning- driven solutions to real-life problems. When asked about reasons why a tech company would bring their business to Nairobi, the “Silicon Savannah” of the African continent, Tsado notes a wide range of natural geographic resources like forests and beach and a vibrant tech- forward “melting pot” community with interesting solutions that aren’t elsewhere in the world. “Nairobi is a perfect mix of work and play,” he says. “You have all sorts of business from fi ntech to agro, insurance, across the board.” Nairobi is recognized as a leader in agricultural, e-commerce and fi ntech industries and as a tech- friendly haven for startups. e Startup Bill of was approved in July by the Kenyan National Assembly, providing tax incentives, simplifying credit access and establishing a platform for startups to receive needed resources. According to Startup Genome’s Global Startup Ecosystem Report for Nairobi, Kenya startups secured $ million in funding in . Partnering AI with People Execo, a legal services provider with four locations in Kenya, uses generative AI to deliver contracting, market and operational support solutions to its clients. Execo CEO Patrick Linton and Chief Revenue Offi cer Evan McElwain (co-founder of Africa AI, acquired by Execo in ) spoke to me about the processes and goals of running a tech- focused company in Kenya. Asked if there was value in creating and investing in the skills of a “futureproof” workforce, Linton says, “Absolutely. But ‘futureproof’ doesn’t mean teaching everyone prompt engineering. It means building teams who can learn fast, adapt faster and apply AI to real business problems. at’s the muscle we’re training. “A core belief of ours is that generative AI supercharges people, rather than replacing them,” Linton says. “For instance, we use generative AI to do the frontline work with digitizing or redlining contracts, but then we hire and train specialized lawyers in Kenya to review and ensure accuracy of the output. is means we can deliver better outcomes, faster, for our customers.” McElwain has recommendations for companies looking to bring their tech ventures to Africa and Kenya specifi cally. “Invest in local relationships early, whether it’s with training centers, universities or community leaders,” he says. “It’ll make your hiring stronger and your impact deeper. Kenya has a fast-learning workforce, but success here depends on being present, listening and building trust. Also, I’d encourage you to start with a small core team and grow as you learn. Kenya rewards hands-on leadership. You’ll move faster if your decision-makers are on the ground. We started lean, focused on quality and scaled once we knew where the talent and systems were strongest. “Finally,” he says, “focus on local nuances that impact your workforce. For example, in Nairobi traffi c is notoriously bad and commuting long distances can get expensive. We set up offi ces closer to where our team members live, which adds a lot of convenience for them and helps drive retention.” McElwain says off shoring opportunities are abundant in Africa, though a key challenge is the impracticality to “copy-paste Western playbooks” in the African business market. “Winning here requires local fl uency and long- term skin in the game. You also don’t have a long history of outsourcing in Kenya compared to other more mature markets like India or the Philippines,” McElwain says. “ is means to be successful here you have to invest more heavily in training and providing exposure to team members here to help them meet their potential.” Kenya has a fast-learning workforce, but success here depends on being present, listening and building trust.” — Evan McElwain , Chief Revenue Offi cer, Execo Kenya has a fast-learning 26 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION by MIRANDA DAI, TRACTUS SENIOR RESEARCH ANALYST BASED IN OUR SHANGHAI OFFICE editor@siteselection.com CHINA Why the World Isn’t Done with ASIA G lobal economic headwinds and geopolitical tensions have subdued cross-border investment growth in recent years. While China has felt the impact, it continues to attract a steady stream of foreign direct investment (FDI), despite concerns over a slowing economy, trade friction and rising costs. According to the fDi 2024 Report, 17,036 FDI projects were recorded globally in 2024, a modest 0.82% year-on-year increase. China accounted for 434 of these, marking a 1.9% rise that outpaced both the global average and India’s 0.7% growth. Additionally, China’s Ministry of Commerce reported 59,080 new foreign-invested enterprises in 2024, a 9.9% year-on- year increase. From Factory Floor to Future Industries A key driver of this trend is China’s strategic pivot toward high-end, innovation-led sectors. Its traditional manufacturing base is evolving to prioritize advanced production, services and sustainable practices. The digital and green economies are emerging as central pillars of growth, spanning consumption, investment and exports. China is shifting away from labor-intensive, low value-added manufacturing and promoting strategic sectors such as next-generation information technology, new energy vehicles, aerospace, biopharmaceuticals and artificial intelligence. Foreign investors are adjusting accordingly. While inflows to traditional sectors like automotive and apparel have declined, high-tech manufacturing is gaining traction. In 2024, FDI in this segment reached US$14 billion (RMB 96.29 billion), accounting for 11.7% of China’s total utilized FDI. Significant growth was observed in medical instruments and equipment (+98.7%), professional technical services (+40.8%) and computer and office equipment (+21.9%). This momentum continued into the first quarter of 2025, with high-tech industries attracting an additional $11 billion (RMB 78.61 billion). Notable increases were recorded in e-commerce Lauding China’s “shorter development times, strong partners, and sophisticated local development, production and infrastructure,” VW’s three Chinese joint ventures in April presented electric concept cars at the Auto Shanghai motor show. Photo copyright: Volkswagen AGNext >