Made in USA News, Oct. 26–27, 2026: Ohio Approves 1,359 Jobs, Texas Factories Cool, Audi's Georgia Plan Draws Fire in Germany

The biggest Made in USA story of the last two days comes from Columbus. On Monday, Ohio approved tax credits for 10 projects that are expected to create 1,359 jobs. Bayer's pharmaceutical plant in New Albany accounts for nearly half of them. Also in this roundup: the Dallas Fed found Texas factories growing more slowly in October, Audi's new Georgia plant ran into criticism from German labor leaders, and a Korean auto parts maker opened a factory in Auburn, Alabama. Every figure below comes from the linked release or report, with its date.

What did Ohio approve on October 26?

Office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, October 26, 2026. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved 10 projects. Together they are expected to create 1,359 new jobs, retain 1,824 existing ones, bring in more than $2.2 billion in investment and add more than $142.3 million in new annual payroll. The largest projects, according to the governor's office:

• Bayer, New Albany: 606 jobs for drug substance and drug product manufacturing, with about $69.2 million in new payroll by 2034. Its job creation tax credit is 2.157% for 30 years.
• Rittal, Urbana: 182 jobs making IT infrastructure and data center components.
• Avtron Power Solutions, Valley View and Seven Hills: 150 jobs building load banks, which test backup power systems.
• Forgent Power, Columbus: 85 jobs in electrical distribution equipment.
• Kyocera Senco, Anderson Township: 37 jobs making fasteners and nailers.
• Spray Products, Medina: 32 jobs in aerosol packaging.

Commitments tied to state tax credits. Actual hiring happens over several years.

Source: Office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, October 26, 2026

View the data

Project	New jobs
Bayer (New Albany)	606
Rittal (Urbana)	182
Avtron Power Solutions	150
Delaware Nation Investments	125
Forgent Power (Columbus)	85
AMEND Consulting	80
Certus Medical	45
Kyocera Senco	37
Spray Products (Medina)	32
J.F. Taylor	17

Several of these projects sell to the power and data center buildout: enclosures, load banks, switchgear. Ohio's consumer-goods makers are already in our directory. Vitamix assembles blenders in Olmsted Township, KitchenAid mixers come from Greenville, and Little Tikes molds the Cozy Coupe in Hudson. See all products made in Ohio.

Are Texas factories still growing?

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, October 26, 2026. Yes, but more slowly. The Dallas Fed's monthly survey asks Texas manufacturers whether activity rose or fell. An index above zero means more firms reported increases than decreases. In October:

• The production index fell from 29.5 to 15.8.
• New orders dropped from 30.7 to 9.3, and shipments from 24.8 to 8.4.
• Employment eased from 15.1 to 11.6. Hiring is still positive, just slower.
• Raw material prices rose from 52.2 to 55.3, almost double the survey's long-run average of 28.1. Finished goods prices rose from 27.6 to 29.9.
• Sentiment improved. General business activity rose from 9.8 to 13.4, and the company outlook index from 8.7 to 16.1. The index for future general business activity jumped from 20.8 to 38.1.

SeptemberOctober

Each index is the share of firms reporting an increase minus the share reporting a decrease.

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, October 26, 2026

View the data

Index	September 2026	October 2026
Production	29.5	15.8
New orders	30.7	9.3
Shipments	24.8	8.4
Employment	15.1	11.6
Raw materials prices	52.2	55.3
General business activity	9.8	13.4

Responses came from 64 of 114 manufacturers surveyed between October 13 and 21. One respondent comment published with the survey raised concerns about the USMCA trade agreement and aluminum tariffs. The next release is due November 30. Texas-made products in our directory include Igloo coolers from Katy and Pace picante sauce from Paris. See products made in Texas.

Why is Audi's Georgia plant controversial in Germany?

AUDI AG, October 25, 2026; The Macon Telegraph and The Guardian, October 26, 2026. Audi says it will invest about $4 billion in its first U.S. plant, create about 4,500 jobs and build up to 200,000 vehicles a year. Construction is set to start in 2027 and production in the early 2030s. We covered the announcement in detail in Audi picks Georgia for its first U.S. factory. Two days of follow-up coverage added:

• The site: The Macon Telegraph reported that the plant will be on a megasite south of Macon, near Fort Valley and west of I-75. Peach County owns the 1,500-acre site, and Peach, Houston and Bibb counties each pledged $7 million to prepare and market it. Georgia Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson said the jobs are "high skill," with salaries above $63,000. A Macon-Bibb release put groundbreaking in 2027 and car production in 2031.
• Approval: The project still awaits approval from Audi's board of management, the Telegraph reported. The Telegraph put the investment at $4.2 billion; Audi's own release says about $4 billion.
• German pushback: The Guardian reported that IG Metall chair Christiane Benner called the announcement at a Trump rally "extremely embarrassing, politically unacceptable and unworthy of the company." Benner is deputy chair of Volkswagen's supervisory board, which has to approve the plan. VW works council head Daniela Cavallo also criticized it.
• Why the U.S.: According to The Guardian, Audi is the only premium carmaker without a U.S. factory. It estimates that 15% U.S. tariffs cost it €1.2 billion last year. Meanwhile, Volkswagen is pushing to cut up to 100,000 jobs, and Audi's Neckarsulm plant (15,000 employees) is among those under threat.

The German criticism doesn't cancel the Georgia plan. It does mean the final vote is worth watching. Georgia makers already in our directory include Savannah Bee Company. See products made in Georgia.

What did INFAC open in Auburn, Alabama?

Yellowhammer News, October 26, 2026. Korean auto parts manufacturer INFAC opened a 160,000-square-foot plant in Auburn Technology Park West. It has invested more than $30 million and plans 120 jobs in the first phase. The plant supplies parts to Hyundai and Kia, and its grand opening was on October 13. Chairman Ohegil Choi, Auburn Mayor Ron Anders and Alabama Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair spoke at the event.

Projects like this matter more than their size suggests. Assembly plants such as Hyundai's in Montgomery depend on nearby suppliers, and every supplier that opens in Alabama keeps more of a car's value in the state. Alabama food makers in our directory include Wickles pickles from Brundidge and Conecuh smoked sausage from Evergreen. See products made in Alabama.

What does this mean for shoppers?

None of this week's projects will put a new product on a store shelf right away. Ohio's jobs arrive over years, Audi's cars are due in the early 2030s, and INFAC's parts end up inside finished vehicles. The Texas survey is the most immediate signal, and its mix is common lately: demand cooling while input costs climb. For everyday buying, the best tool is still the label. Our guide on how to verify Made in USA products explains what to check.