A nearly $150 million high-tech factory is coming to the Charlotte region, producing tiny fiber-optic components for the rapidly growing data center industry.
US Conec Ltd. just announced plans to invest more than $149.7 million and create 224 new jobs in Catawba County. The expansion will add roughly 200,000 square feet of advanced manufacturing, research and development space.
“North Carolina companies appreciate the advantages of operating in our state,” said Governor Josh Stein in a press release. “US Conec’s decision to expand here validates the strength of our manufacturing base, our skilled talent, and our stable business climate.”
US Conec makes extremely precise connectors that allow many optical fibers to connect in a very small space. Those components are used in data centers, cloud computing networks, telecom systems, circuit boards and military equipment.
Tiny Connectors Built for Massive Data Centers
US Conec helped pioneer the MTP connector, a compact system capable of connecting many fiber strands at once.
The company introduced its first MTP products in 1996. By 2004, it had developed connectors capable of handling as many as 72 fibers in a single ferrule.
Its newer MMC connectors are even smaller and designed for extremely dense fiber installations. That becomes increasingly important as modern computing facilities pack more servers, switches and optical connections into limited space.
The manufacturing tolerances are extraordinarily tight.
US Conec says sub-micron modeling, manufacturing and measurement are central to its optical components. A micron is one-thousandth of a millimeter.
Hickory Company Has Global Technology Backing
US Conec was founded in Hickory in 1992 and has remained headquartered there ever since.
The company is jointly owned by three major communications technology companies: Corning Optical Communications, Fujikura and NTT Advanced Technology.
Its products now serve customers worldwide across data centers, telecommunications, enterprise computing, industrial systems and military markets.
US Conec also holds a large portfolio of patents covering fiber ferrules, connectors, adapters and other precision optical components.
Expansion Will More Than Double Down on Hickory
The new project will add engineers, technicians, manufacturing operators and support employees.
Average annual pay is expected to reach $56,982, creating more than $12.7 million in new annual payroll. The company already employs roughly 300 people locally.
US Conec will occupy a roughly 221,000-square-foot industrial building under construction at Catawba Commerce Center in Hickory’s Fairgrove Business Park.
The company is also moving forward with a separate 40,000-square-foot building in Fairgrove and a new headquarters in downtown Hickory. The larger expansion is expected to be completed by the end of 2030.
North Carolina approved a performance-based $500,000 One North Carolina Fund grant to help support the project. The company must meet hiring and investment targets before receiving the money.
For the Charlotte region, the investment adds another major advanced-manufacturing project along the I-77 and U.S. 321 corridors.
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