Made in USA News, Oct. 17–24, 2026: $1.1 Billion in New Factory Investment and Apple's U.S. Titanium Deal

This week brought a steady run of American factory news: two big projects in Georgia, a fiber-optic expansion in North Carolina, a larger trailer plant in Illinois, and Apple naming more U.S. suppliers for its newest iPhones. Here is what was announced between October 17 and 24, 2026, with links to every original release.

Hyundai Translead's figure is the increase announced this week; its total planned Illinois investment is now $600 million. Apple's Perryman commitment (up to $100 million over three years) is a supplier commitment, so it isn't included.

Source: Mitsubishi Power · Georgia Governor's Office · Hyundai Translead · NC Commerce

View the data

Company	Investment ($ millions)
Mitsubishi Power (GA)	$490
Blue Bird (GA)	$300
Hyundai Translead (IL), added	$150
US Conec (NC)	$149.7

Which new U.S. factories were announced this week?

Mitsubishi Power: $490 million in Savannah, Georgia (Oct. 23)

Mitsubishi Power Americas plans to expand Savannah Machinery Works in Pooler, Georgia, its U.S. plant for advanced gas turbines, steam turbines and other power-generation equipment. The project is backed by a $490 million investment from parent company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It will add 450,000 square feet to the existing 430,000-square-foot plant and create more than 220 jobs.

The company says the expansion responds to "unprecedented power generation needs." The site opened in 2010 and shipped its first U.S.-built gas turbine in 2012. Mitsubishi Power and the Savannah Economic Development Authority signed an expansion framework agreement at the announcement.

Blue Bird: $300 million school-bus plant in Fort Valley, Georgia (Oct. 21)

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced that Blue Bird, the school-bus maker headquartered in Fort Valley, will invest $300 million in a new plant of about 1 million square feet in Peach County to build Type C school buses (the conventional yellow buses with a hood in front). The project is expected to create 375 jobs, and construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027.

US Conec: $149.7 million in Hickory, North Carolina (Oct. 22)

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein announced that US Conec, which makes high-density fiber-optic connectivity components, will expand in Hickory with a $149.7 million investment and 224 new jobs. The state says the new positions will pay an average salary of $56,982. The project is supported by a $500,000 One North Carolina Fund grant.

Hyundai Translead: third shift adds $150 million and 1,250 jobs in Illinois (Oct. 22)

Trailer maker Hyundai Translead expanded its planned manufacturing operations in Will County, Illinois. In March it had announced more than $450 million and 2,500 jobs for two plants. A third production shift adds $150 million and 1,250 jobs, bringing the commitment to $600 million and 3,750 full-time positions.

Mitsubishi Power says “more than 220” jobs. Hyundai Translead's total commitment is now 3,750 jobs.

Source: Company and state releases (see Sources)

View the data

Company	New jobs
Hyundai Translead (IL), added	1,250
Blue Bird (GA)	375
US Conec (NC)	224
Mitsubishi Power (GA)	220

What did Apple announce about U.S. iPhone parts?

On October 20, Apple named new and expanded U.S. partners in its American Manufacturing Program for the iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro:

• Perryman Company of Houston, Pennsylvania, will supply titanium for products including the iPhone Duo. Apple says it will commit up to $100 million over three years, and that Perryman melts, forges and rolls the titanium with at least 80% recycled content.
• Qnity Electronics, headquartered in Delaware, will produce advanced films for the iPhone 18 Pro's new variable-aperture camera.
• Apple says nearly 100 components in the two phones are produced by American companies in more than a dozen states. One example: Corning in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, where Apple says all cover glass for iPhone and Apple Watch sold worldwide will be produced by the end of 2026.

Apple describes the program as part of its $600 billion, four-year U.S. commitment. The phones themselves are still assembled outside the U.S., so this is a story about American components, not a "Made in USA" iPhone. Our guide to what "Made in USA" legally means explains why that distinction matters on labels.

What does the latest data say about U.S. manufacturing?

Two official releases from earlier in October frame this week's announcements:

• Jobs (BLS, Oct. 2): manufacturing added 9,000 jobs in September and 72,000 since December 2025. Read our charted history of U.S. manufacturing jobs.
• Output (Federal Reserve G.17, Oct. 16): manufacturing output rose 0.3% in September and was 1.1% above a year earlier. Factories ran at 75.9% of capacity, 2.3 points below the long-run average. Output of semiconductors and related components grew 28.4% at an annual rate in the third quarter.

What changed for Buy America rules this month?

For federally funded highway projects, a new phase of the Federal Highway Administration's Buy America requirements took effect on October 1, 2026. Under the FHWA's guidance, manufactured products must now be produced in the U.S., and more than 55% of the cost of their components must be U.S.-made. This is a procurement rule for public projects. It doesn't change the FTC's consumer "Made in USA" standard, but it does create more domestic demand for American-made components.

Why do these announcements matter for shoppers?

Plant announcements take years to turn into jobs: buildings get permitted and constructed, and then equipment is installed before hiring ramps up. Still, they show where companies expect to make things in America next. Much of this week's news came from industrial sectors such as power equipment, buses, trailers and fiber optics, rather than from consumer goods.

For everyday purchases, you can support American factories directly by choosing products that are actually made here. Some long-running examples from Pennsylvania, where Perryman is based:

Browse more products made in Pennsylvania, made in Kentucky, or our full American-made directory.

What to watch next week

• November 6: the BLS October jobs report.
• November 24: the Federal Reserve's annual revision of industrial production and capacity data.
• Groundbreakings and incentive approvals for the projects above. We'll cover them in future Made in USA news roundups.