< Previous SITE SELECTION SEPTEMBER 2025 17 changes and increased maritime traffi c demand resilient and effi cient infrastructure to maintain the country’s competitiveness in the global trade landscape.” e six primary ports earmarked for public and private modernization investment are: • Ensenada, a marine freight and cruise terminal on the Baja California Pacifi c coast ($ million investment); • Manzanillo, in the state of Colima on Mexico’s west coast, the primary port for Pacifi c Ocean container shipping ($ billion); • Lázaro Cárdenas, in the state of Michoacán on the Pacifi c coast, the largest Mexican seaport with annual cargo capacity of million tons ($ million); • Acapulco, a tourism-based port on the Pacifi c Ocean ($ million); • Veracruz, a key port for imports and exports on Mexico’s Gulf Coast ($. billion); and • Progreso, a cargo and cruise port on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula ($ million). ree additional ports also will see private investment under the privatization program: Guaymas ($. billion) and Topolobampo ($ . billion) on the Gulf of California coast in the states of Sonora and Sinaloa, respectively, and Altamira ($ million) north of Tampico on the Gulf Coast. Terminal operators and developers such as Hutchinson Ports, SSA Marine and APM Terminals are key players in Mexico’s plan to modernize its port infrastructure. All three are actively investing in the Lázaro Cárdenas port. APM Terminals earlier this year installed six Automated Rail Mounted Gantry (ARMG) cranes at the facility in advance of its $ million expansion planned for . It previously invested $ million in a terminal at the port that opened in . “At APM Terminals Mexico, we’re dedicated to supporting the country’s infrastructure, industry and, most importantly, its people,” said Beatriz Yera, managing director of APM Terminals Mexico, announcing the installation of the cranes. “ is investment demonstrates our long-term vision of developing intelligent, effi cient and sustainable ports ready for global competition.” A development phase planned for between and will bring APM Terminals’ freight capacity at Lázaro Cárdenas to more than million TEU. APM Terminals installed six electric cranes earlier this year at its facility at the Lázaro Cárdenas port on the Pacifi c coast.18 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION WORLD REPORTS by ALEXIS ELMORE alexis.elmore@siteselection.com Production Needs Filled in Malaysia I n late July, global pharmaceutical technologies manufacturer Colorcon marked the grand opening of the company’s new coating manufacturing plant in the Malaysian state of Johor. “Our goal is to anticipate market growth, adding capacity to ensure we are always a step ahead of demand,” said Colorcon CEO Simon Tasker. “This is just one of many development projects currently in our pipeline to support our credo of ‘we’re everywhere our customers need us to be.’ ” The 200,000-sq.-ft. facility represents the company’s seventh fi lm coating manufacturing plant worldwide and will become the main production hub serving the Asia Pacifi c region. This investment will aid in reducing delivery time while strengthening the company’s global supply chain. Launching Project Stargate O penAI has reported that its 230-megawatt data center project located in northern Norway is offi cially complete. The Narvik data center is the company’s fi rst European facility, capable of housing an initial capacity of 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs, although plans to scale the facility could mean an additional 290 MW at the site in years to come. This facility comes as global usage of AI applications such as ChatGPT continue to rise, especially for millions daily users across Europe. Project Stargate is jointly owned by AI infrastructure developer Nscale and Norway-based industrial company Aker, both of which worked on the project’s construction. “Large-scale compute capacity in Europe will help ensure that this transformation benefi ts people and communities — including developers, researchers, scientists and startups across Norway and Europe,” OpenAI stated in its original project announcement. The town of Narvik was selected due to the region’s access to hydropower, cool climate, low-cost renewable energy and quality industrial infrastructure. Project Stargate, which runs on 100% renewable energy, is designed to boost Norway’s AI ecosystem. Photo courtesy of Nscale Colorcon’s Johor site created 30 new jobs in the region. Photo courtesy of Colorcon 1. New York, USA 2. San Francisco, USA 3. Zurich, Switzerland 4. Geneva, Switzerland 5. London, UK 6. Los Angeles, USA 7. Chicago, USA 8. Tokyo, Japan 9. Philadelphia, USA 10. Sapporo, Japan Turner & Townsend’s Most Expensive Construction Markets 2025 SITE SELECTION SEPTEMBER 2025 19 Bets Placed on Southeast Asia H ong Kong-based medical devices manufacturer Quasar Medical is constructing a new manufacturing facility in Thailand and has now opened its new global headquarters in Singapore. By the start of 2026, the company will open its seventh global Center of Medical Device Excellence location in Chonburi, marking its second manufacturing site in Thailand. The facility will span 140,000 sq. ft. and will support the company in strengthening its global supply chain of micro-assembly devices. Meanwhile, relocating Quasar’s HQ to Singapore was a strategic move to center the company in Asia’s medtech ecosystem. “We are expanding advanced operations, growing a strong local team, creating career opportunities and positioning Quasar as an employer of choice within Singapore’s medtech community,” said Quasar Medical Site Leader Erik Trip. The company anticipates growing its current workforce of 180 to over 300 within the next three years. Quasar Medical’s Chonburi manufacturing plant will create more than 2,000 jobs by 2030. Rendering courtesy of Quasar Medical Constructing a One-Stop-Shop J apan-based Nissui Corporation has plans to grow its domestic food business operations in the Fukuoka Prefecture city of Kitakyushu. In the Tobata Ward on the former site of a frozen food facility that was lost to a fi re in 2021, the company broke ground in August to establish a new head offi ce in addition to a new production facility. Operations currently housed in the company’s Nissui Tobata Factory and Kitakyushu Nissui Factory will transition to the new facility once complete in 2026. The new manufacturing plant will aid in increasing productivity by 150%, while consolidating production to make room for new product development. Safran Gears Up in France O utside of Lyon, France, the Plaine de l’Ain Industrial Park — the largest in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region — has been selected for Safran’s new 323,000-sq.-ft. aircraft carbon brake manufacturing facility. Access to low-carbon electricity was essential to the company’s site selection process, as energy accounts for 30% of a carbon brake’s production cost. “The choice of this site in France is the result of a collaborative eff ort by the French government, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional authority, French electric utility EDF, national grid operator RTE and all the stakeholders, whose support I gratefully acknowledge,” said Safran CEO Olivier Andriès. The $514 million project is anticipated to come online by 2030, increasing capacity by 25% each year until 2037. Safran expects to create up to 200 new jobs once the facility reaches full capacity. The smart factory will include digitalization technologies and artifi cial intelligence to enhance manufacturing processes. Rendering courtesy of Nissui Group Safran Landing Systems supplies about 55% of commercial airlines with its products. Photo courtesy of Safran GroupINVESTMENT PROFILE: SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Precision Production Plants Its Flag in San Bernardino County W hen people talk about the future of advanced manufacturing on the West Coast, they tend to mention names like Intel, Tesla, Boeing, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman. But often the real unsung heroes of this sector aren’t toiling away in the large labs and shop spaces of the world’s biggest companies. In many locales, they are working for mom- and-pop shops that have been there for decades. Case in point: San Bernardino County, California. Stretching from the eastern boundary of Los Angeles to the Arizona border, this ,-square- mile county of . million people is a gem of manufacturing know-how. While it certainly has its fair share of spotlight-grabbing corporate names like Amazon, FedEx and other Fortune fi rms, the manufacturing prowess of San Bernardino County is often found in small businesses that do their best work far away from the glittering lights of Hollywood. Spend just fi ve minutes listening to Harry Smith talk about his experience running Alger Precision Manufacturing in Ontario, California, and you quickly learn how integral his company’s location is to the fi rm’s sustained growth and success. “We started here in ,” says Smith, president and CEO of Alger, an advanced manufacturer of precision component parts for a variety of industries. “We have been here in the same building since the s. is area was mostly dairy farms and vineyards back then. It was not the wild west, but it was close to it.” at’s not the case anymore. Smith has seen the surrounding county go on to become one of the fastest-growing places in Southern California. Alger has grown with it, now employing more than skilled workers and looking for more. e fi rm recently invested more than $ million into new leading- edge equipment, which will enable Alger to expand its business into more product lines. 20 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION A welder in training at The Fab School in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Photo courtesy of The Fab School Advanced manufacturers follow the workforce to this region. by RON STARNER ron.starner@siteselection.com SITE SELECTION SEPTEMBER 2025 21 Skilled Workers Drive Location Strategy When asked why he chooses to stay in Ontario, he sums it up in one word: “workforce.” “About 70% of our workforce lives in the county,” Smith says. “Our work requires skilled labor; and that labor migrated from the South Bay 50 years ago to this area today. As real estate on the coast became more expensive, manufacturers moved out this way. Tooling, lubricants and other essential manufacturing shops are all local to this area now. San Bernardino County is an attractive place to be for all the suppliers you need.” Smith adds that “every time we think about relocating, we think about our 125 employees. If we moved to Arizona or Nevada, we would lose so much of our workforce that we would be out of business.” Transportation assets in the area help too, he says. “We are only a mile from Ontario International Airport. There is a FedEx and UPS hub there. That helps with shipping. We are also close to the Port of Long Beach, and we receive some material from there.” Alger produces about 80 million to 90 millions parts per year. Over the last 20 years, the firm has made nearly 2 billion parts. “Most are made out of brass, but we also do aluminum and steel,” says Smith. “These are fairly heavy parts. They are found in plumbing, fire suppression systems, and fittings on hoses to gas pumps. Our expertise is in engineering design, manufacturing and assembly.” Finding qualified workers is not a problem for Alger, adds Smith. “We partner with all the local trade schools that we can,” he says. “We use the Industrial Technical Learning Center [InTech] at Chaffey College. But for the older machines that we use, the equipment is so specialized that we have to train the workers ourselves. But we are willing to partner with anyone who wants us.” Smith says Alger operates two facilities that total about 85,000 sq. ft., but he admits they are running out of space. “We are the largest company on the West Coast that does what we do,” he says. Contract Drug Maker Saves Lives Also growing robustly in the county is Amphastar Pharmaceuticals. The company announced that it intends to quadruple its domestic manufacturing capacity at its Rancho Cucamonga headquarters. The firm develops, manufactures and markets complex generic and proprietary injectable, inhalation and intranasal products. “Expanding our domestic manufacturing footprint is not only a strategic milestone for Amphastar, but also a reaffirmation of our commitment to producing essential medicines in the U.S.,” said Dr. Jack Zhang, president and CEO of Amphastar. “All our finished pharmaceutical products are proudly manufactured in the U.S. This long-term investment strengthens the commitment, enhancing our ability to deliver greater flexibility, agility and quality to the health care providers and patients who depend on our products every day.” Dan Dischner, senior vice president of human resources and corporate communications for Amphastar, says the company will invest $150 million to add 200,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing, lab and support space. The expansion creates 500 new jobs, he says, noting that the new positions will be in manufacturing, quality assurance, engineering, research and development, and administrative support. When asked why Amphastar selected Rancho Cucamonga for this investment, Dischner says that “Rancho Cucamonga has been home to Amphastar since our founding, and it remains the ideal Alger Precision Manufacturing in Ontario produces up to 90 million metal parts per year. Photo courtesy of Alger Precision ManufacturingO ne reason manufacturers love doing business in San Bernardino County is the fact they know they can count on The Fab School to deliver best-in-class workers. Located in Rancho Cucamonga, The Fab School exists to give students technical and hands- on skills to become marketable candidates for immediate entry- level employment in metal fabrication, welding, digital design and manufacturing, and carbon fi ber industries. The Fab School curriculum combines theory with practical, hands-on shop training in real-world applications. This training equips graduates to go out and become immediately employable at off -road, aerospace, automotive and manufacturing companies. Around 50% of the students are military and they are able to take advantage of programs backed by the GI Bill. Most importantly, The Fab School delivers results not found at any other training institution in Southern California. Students attending classes at The Fab School attain a 98% on-time graduation rate and a 91% career placement rate. Tim Rasmussen, owner of Viking Metal Craft, is a 2009 graduate who says that he still draws upon that training every day in his job as a metal fabricator for off -road racing vehicles and ornamental iron railings. How good is he at his craft? The suspension he custom- made for an off -road truck racing team won the famed NORRA 1,000 race in back-to-back years in Mexico’s Baja California Desert. To learn more about the mission and work of The Fab School, we turned to its founder, Troy Johnson. How did you become a premier hands-on training school? What training need are you focused on? JOHNSON: It started as a small school with the sole purpose of training a few fabricators that could help me in my fabrication shop building off -road vehicles. Word spread as the industry was starving for skilled labor, and the demand for education took off . We have spent the past 20 years refi ning the program by working closely with industry professionals on what skills are valuable in the current workplace. It started as welding and off -road fabrication and has grown to full metal fabrication, Computer Aided Drafting, and carbon fi ber for automotive, aerospace and general manufacturing. What enables you to achieve a 91% career placement rate for your graduates? JOHNSON: Three factors drive our placement rates: First, the industry is in demand for skilled trades professionals. For years the number of retired blue-collar workers has been greater than those starting in these careers. Second, we have a network of 1,700 employers nationwide that hire our graduates and trust the knowledge and skills they learn. Lastly, we have a dedicated team that works with our students on resumes, interviewing and setting up employer presentations. Do you have any particular success stories you can share about recent graduates? JOHNSON: Fabian Marischal Rivera is a recent graduate of our carbon fi ber program and started his own company called Carbon Concepts in Camuy, Puerto Rico. Fabian creates custom fenders, fairings and body panels for all types of motorcycles as well as custom parts for watercraft vehicles. He has also started his own clothing line based on his company name. Fabian’s company builds and ships custom parts all over the world. How are you funded? JOHNSON: We are privately owned, and students are responsible for tuition. There are several ways to pay for tuition including student and parent loans through federal fi nancial aid, private loans, and for military veterans we accept GI Bill benefi ts. What is the greatest talent demand for your students right now and why? JOHNSON: Welding, but more specifi cally, TIG welding. TIG welding is very versatile and works well with several types of material and is common among most industries. Why is the military community such a vital component in your ongoing success? JOHNSON: Nearly 40% of our student base is comprised from ex-military personnel. Most of these men and women already have experience working with their hands while enlisted, so this is a perfect transition for them. They often step up as leaders and help guide some of our younger students who just graduated high school. 22 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION THE FAB SCHOOL MOLDS STUDENTS INTO METALSMITHS Troy Johnson is the founder of The Fab School in Rancho Cucamonga. Photo courtesy of The Fab School SITE SELECTION SEPTEMBER 2025 23 SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SAN FRANCISCO LOS ANGELES SAN DIEGO location for our continued growth. e city off ers a strategic advantage due to its proximity to major transportation corridors and an airport, which are essential for effi cient distribution and supply chain operations. We’ve also benefi ted from a supportive local government, access to a skilled and diverse workforce, and strong regional infrastructure. is combination allows us to scale our operations while maintaining the quality and reliability our customers expect. Our long-term investment in Rancho Cucamonga refl ects our confi dence in the area as a hub for pharmaceutical innovations and domestic manufacturing.” Dischner says there is a lot to like in Rancho Cucamonga. “What we value most about doing business here is the strong sense of community and the region’s pro-business environment,” he says. “ e city and county have been incredibly supportive of our growth, off ering a collaborative atmosphere that makes it easier to expand and innovate.” Meaningful local incentives and workforce development programs helped seal the deal, notes Dischner. “A reasonable permitting process helped reinforce our commitment,” he adds. “ e support we’ve received from the city and county leaders refl ects a shared vision for building a stronger, innovation-driven economy right here in the Inland Empire.” He cited the government of San Bernardino County as being especially responsive to Amphastar’s needs. “We view them as long-term partners in our mission,” he says. Our work requires skilled labor; and that labor migrated from the South Bay 50 years ago to this area today. San Bernardino County is an attractive place to be for all the suppliers you need.” — Harry Smith , President & CEO, Alger Precision Manufacturing Our work requires skilled labor; Amphastar Pharmaceuticals in Rancho Cucamonga is embarking on a $150 million plant expansion project to quadruple production capacity. Photo courtesy of Amphastar Pharmaceuticals This Investment Profile was prepared under the auspices of San Bernardino County. For more information, contact the County’s Economic Development Department at 909-387-4460. On the web, go to www.SelectSBCounty.com.24 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION An Emphasis on Local Production M ars, Inc. announced in July it will invest $2 billion into U.S. manufacturing after allocating $6 billion over the past fi ve years. The investments include a $240 million, 230-job investment in a Nature’s Bakery facility that recently held its grand opening in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a $450 million, 270-job Royal Canin dry pet food facility that opened in Lewisburg, Ohio, earlier this year. “This investment is about building a stronger, more resilient business in the U.S., one that can grow with our consumers, deliver for our partners and create lasting economic impact in the communities where we operate,” said Mars, Inc. CFO Claus Aagaard. “The U.S. is our biggest and most important market, and a key engine of growth for the long term — not only through our legacy manufacturing footprint but also through the expansion of strategic acquisitions like Nature’s Bakery, which is already scaling quickly.” DOE Jumps on Data Center Bandwagon T he U.S. Department of Energy announced in June that Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Reservation in Tennessee, Paducah Gaseous Diff usion Plant in Kentucky and Savannah River Site in South Carolina were selected for new AI data center and energy generation projects. “By leveraging DOE land assets for the deployment of AI and energy infrastructure, we are taking a bold step to accelerate the next Manhattan Project — ensuring U.S. AI and energy leadership,” said Energy Secretary Chris Wright. “These sites are uniquely positioned to host data centers as well as power generation to bolster grid reliability, strengthen our national security and reduce energy costs.” Selected sites, such as the former location of the Paducah Gaseous Diff usion Plant, stood out for large-scale data center development and new power generation. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy Over 94% of Mars, Inc. products sold to U.S. markets are made within the nation across 38 production facilities. Photo courtesy of Mars, Inc. by ALEXIS ELMORE alexis.elmore@siteselection.com NORTH AMERICAN REPORTS ANNUAL INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS INSTALLATIONS BY U.S. INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 2023 2024 Automotive 12,421 13,747 Metal & Machinery 4,171 3,765 Electrical/Electronics 3,900 2,932 Plastics & Chemicals 2,972 2,727 Food 1,860 2,277 Source: International Federation of Robotics SITE SELECTION SEPTEMBER 2025 25 Peach State Portfolio Growth G lobal food manufacturer Pilgrim’s has announced a $400 million investment in a new prepared foods facility in North Georgia. The company will construct the facility in the city of LaFayette, where it will house production of cooked chicken products. Plans to break ground are slated for late 2025, as the fi rst phase of construction is expected to be complete by early 2027. “Expanding the Pilgrim’s footprint in Georgia highlights our ongoing commitment to the region and our company’s long-term growth strategy,” said Pilgrim’s CEO Fabio Sandri. “This signifi cant investment will allow further growth of our prepared foods business by expanding brands like Just Bare, Pilgrim’s and Gold Kist, and supporting increasing demand in retail and foodservice channels.” Pilgrim’s currently supports over 7,500 jobs throughout Georgia and will create 630 additional jobs through this project. Pilgrim’s currently operates seven food production plants in Georgia. Photo courtesy of Pilgrim’s Maryland Marks the Spot A dvanced nuclear reactor and fuel company X-energy plans to move its current Rockville headquarters to an expanded offi ce space just six miles away at the Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg. All 260 Rockville employees will transition to the new HQ where the company expects to create over 500 new jobs within the next few years. About 26 miles northwest in Frederick County, X-energy will introduce a new 90,000-sq.- ft. non-nuclear test and training facility. This space will feature a helium test facility for full-scale integration systems testing in a pressurized helium environment, in addition to an experimental critical reactor components and materials test facility. Ford Drives Billions into U.S. EV Production I n August, Ford announced nearly $2 billion would be going to its Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky. The investment is focused on planned production of a new electric mid-size pickup truck by mid-2027. The plant is expected to expand by an additional 52,000 sq. ft. to make room for new equipment and technology. Ford’s investment follows its larger $5 billion commitment to U.S. manufacturing and strengthens its “assembly tree,” including its BlueOval Battery Park in Michigan which will supply prismatic LFP batteries to the Louisville facility as operations begin. “We live and breathe continuous improvement, but sometimes you need a dramatic leap forward,” said Ford Vice President Bryce Currie. “We expect ergonomic breakthroughs and complexity reduction — through elimination of parts, connectors and wire — will fl ow through to signifi cant quality and cost wins.” Between its Kentucky and Michigan plants, Ford will create 4,000 new jobs. Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company Maryland-based X-energy received a combined $6.15 million in state and local incentives to support the investment. Photo courtesy of X-energyNext >