The French technology company Schneider Electric on Thursday announced plans to invest $140 million into its U.S. manufacturing operations and create about 750 new manufacturing jobs across the country in 2024.
The move is a response to surging demand for Schneider's energy efficient solutions and sustainability solutions, the company said. Schneider said its U.S. growth was “a function of continued strong demand across its infrastructure and data center end-markets,” the latter due in large part to the growth of artificial intelligence.
Accordingly, the company will invest $85 million initially to transform and equip an existing 500,000 square foot building in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, and to upgrade its existing Smyrna, Tennessee, manufacturing operations. Both locations will manufacture custom electrical switchgear and medium voltage power distribution products to bolster support for critical infrastructure, industries, and the escalating demand for data center solutions across the U.S.
The new plant in Mt. Juliet is expected to begin manufacturing and shipping products to Schneider's customers by mid-2024 and is expected to be fully operational in 2025. The two plants will also incorporate advanced manufacturing technologies and software to improve operational performance, achieve energy savings, and reduce carbon footprint, among other benefits.
The company also said it will recruit and employ an additional 455 manufacturing workers across both locations. Roles will range from manufacturing technicians and engineers to test technicians and quality leads, among other manufacturing-related positions.
