Power, Military, Auto Products Fuel U.S. Fabricated Metal Manufacturing

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Written by Danny Levin, Deputy Editor for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

U.S. producers of fabricated metal products, such as those related to power generation, the military and automotive, are building out their capacities.

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Power Generation

According to Industrial Info Resources data, there is $15 billion worth of active and proposed projects in the U.S. fabricated-metal product sector.

Products supporting power generation infrastructure are in high demand, and high-dollar manufacturing projects are underway.

The largest is LS Greenlink's $681 million brownfield high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine cable-manufacturing plant in Chesapeake, Virginia, near the Port of Virginia, which is expected to be fully operational by the first quarter of 2028.

Submarine HVDC cables are used to transmit power underwater, typically for connecting offshore wind farms or other remote power sources to power grids.

The Industrial Info Resources Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Industrial Manufacturing Plant and Project databases offer key details--including key contacts, investment values and necessary equipment--in a plant profile and project report.

Other power-cable manufacturing is attributed to Southwire's $176 million expansion of its plant in Heflin, Alabama, about halfway between Birmingham and Atlanta. The 340,000-square-foot building addition will boost production capacity of medium-voltage cables, with production expected to begin in late 2027. Readers can view the project report.

U.S.-based steelmaker Nucor Corporation, through its Nucor Building Systems division, is investing $200 million for the construction of a transmission-tower production plant in Utah. Sitting next to Nucor's Brigham City Prefabricated Metal Buildings Plant--which produces steel poles and structures for the energy sector--the facility marks the last of three new transmission-tower plants from Nucor. View more project information here.

Military Applications

There are two projects aimed specifically at boosting production capacity for PAC-3 (Patriot Advanced Capability) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors for the Department of Defense.

The interceptors provide the capability to defeat a range of advanced aerial threats, including tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

One project is attributed to Lockheed Martin. Earlier this year, the company signed a seven-year framework agreement with the Pentagon aimed at increasing annual production of PEC-3 interceptors from approximately 600 to 2,000. In order to meet that quota, the contractor is in the early stages of planning a $200 million expansion at its East Camden Missiles & Tanks plant in Arkansas. The GMI database shows the project with a kickoff date in June 2028.

Another project underway is aimed at producing solid rocket motors in part for PEC-3 interceptors: L3Harris broke ground last year on a grassroot plant, also in East Camden. Construction could wrap up late next year.

Readers can view the Lockheed Martin and L3Harris project reports.

Automotive

Under construction is General Motors' Phase I upgrades to its Parma (Metal Center) Automotive Stampings plant in Ohio, which will prepare the facility to meet future vehicle production capacity. Construction could wrap up by the end of the year, while there are plans for a subsequent Phase II. View the project reports here.

North American auto component supplier Autokiniton's $313 million expansion of its manufacturing plant in Bellevue, Ohio also is underway. The project entails adding a 215,000-square-foot building, among other work, to increase production of vehicle frames and other products.

The plant is a major supplier of the frame of the Ford F-150, America's best-selling pickup truck, and also serves major automakers such as Toyota, GM and Stellantis. Construction kicked off in April and is expected to take 18 months. For more information, see the detailed project report.

The Industrial Info Resources GMI Project and Plant databases offer a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and a full list of related plant profiles.

Industrial Info Resources also offers a full list of reports for active and proposed projects in the U.S. fabricated metal-product sector.

Key Takeaways

• $15 billion: Total value of the U.S.-based projects in the fabricated metal product sector.
• Power generation components, military and automotive products are among the investment drivers.
• That includes power cables, missile interceptors and automotive stampings.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).