Technology company ABB has announced it will invest a further US$110m in the USA in 2025 to expand R&D and manufacturing capacity for its electrification portfolio, targeting accelerating demand from data centres and grid modernisation.
The programme spans four sites – Richmond, Virginia; Arecibo, Puerto Rico; Pinetops, North Carolina; and Senatobia, Mississippi – and is expected to create nearly 200 new jobs.
The move comes amid rising US electricity prices and a structurally higher load outlook driven by AI-enabled data centres.
ABB cited International Energy Agency estimates that US wholesale power prices rose by 30-40% in the first half of 2025 versus 2024, while rapid data-centre build-out is expected to keep US electricity demand growth above 2% in 2025 and 2026, more than double the prior decade’s average.
A centrepiece of the plan is a new production line in Senatobia, Mississippi, where ABB will invest US$15m to manufacture its Emax 3 air circuit breakers in the US from 2026.
Designed for large, power-dense facilities – including data centres, advanced manufacturing plants and airports—the Emax 3 platform provides protection, monitoring and control functions intended to improve energy security and resilience while supporting uptime-critical operations typical of automated environments.
In Richmond, Virginia, ABB will double the footprint of its facility with a US$30m project that adds a test centre, warehouse and new assembly lines for power quality and protection products used by data centres, manufacturers and utilities.
The site, due to open in Q4 2025, will reportedly add about 100 production and engineering roles.
The company will also invest more than US$30m to expand its Arecibo, Puerto Rico site, accommodating three new production lines for smart circuit breakers and switching devices for US industrial and commercial applications. ABB said it expects to create 90 skilled jobs there by end-2026.
A further US$35m will increase capacity at Pinetops, North Carolina, supporting demand for advanced low- and medium-voltage grid components for utilities, data centres and industrial facilities, with an upgraded facility targeted for 2026.
FREE: Subscribe to Robotics & Automation Magazine‘s USA newsletter!
“This US$110m investment in the USA is part of our long-term strategy to support future growth in our biggest global market,” said Morten Wierod, ABB’s chief executive.
“Demand is being driven by the surging power needs of AI in data centres, grid modernization and customers improving energy efficiency and uptime to reduce their costs.
“Our investments will ensure we can meet growing demand across North America in line with our local-for-local strategy.”
The latest commitment builds on around US$500m invested in the USA between 2022 and 2024, including a US$100m manufacturing facility and innovation lab in New Berlin, Wisconsin, and a US$40m factory in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In March 2025 ABB announced US$120m for Selmer, Tennessee (US$80m) and Senatobia, Mississippi (US$40m), followed by an additional US$20m for Selmer.
The group also opened a US$4m regional distribution centre in Dallas, Texas in August 2025 and invested US$4m across service facilities to enhance customer support.
ABB reported close to US$9bn of US revenue in 2024 – about 27% of group sales – and employs approximately 17,000 people across the country.
The company operates nearly 40 manufacturing, distribution and operational facilities across 20 US states, including nine major R&D centres, and said approximately 75-80% of its US revenue is generated from products manufactured domestically.
ABB’s capacity additions align with a wider industry pivot toward electrical resilience, power quality and predictive protection in high-throughput environments.
As manufacturers deploy more automation, AMRs and high-density compute for AI and analytics, demand for integrated protection, switching and monitoring at the low- and medium-voltage level is rising.
The localisation of Emax 3 and associated power-quality lines in the USA is intended to shorten lead times, increase configurability and improve service support for time-sensitive brownfield and greenfield projects across factories, warehouses and data-centre campuses.
Join us at IntraLogisteX 2026 – the USA’s leading exhibition dedicated to the future of logistics and supply chain operations. Taking place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas on September 16-17, 2026, the event showcases cutting-edge solutions in automation, intralogistics, supply chain technology and materials handling. Network with industry leaders, discover new technologies, and see how AI, robotics and automation are transforming performance, resilience and sustainability. Please visit www.intralogistexusa.com for more information.
