Tech manufacturer in Charlotte area expanding with $150M facility, plus 224 jobs
US Conec, a fiber-optic components maker, has pledged to invest nearly $150 million and create 224 jobs expanding in the Charlotte region amid the AI data center boom.
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US Conec plans to build a 200,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing plant in Hickory in Catawba County, Gov. Josh Stein said Thursday. The facility also will house research and development, administrative operations and distribution.
Headquartered in Hickory since 1992, the company designs and manufactures components for advanced computing infrastructure, enterprise and telecommunications networks, as well as military applications.
The expansion will enhance local capabilities to meet surging demand driven by deployments of advanced computing infrastructure, US Conec president Tracey Horton said in a statement.
The expansion will create roles in engineering, technology, operations and support staff. The average annual salary for the new jobs will be $56,982. Catawba County’s average wage is $56,937.
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The expansion is supported in part by a $500,000 performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund, which requires matching funds from local government partners and requires the company to meet job creation and investment goals before funds are disbursed.
US Conec officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
US Conec is an equity venture of three communications technology companies: Corning Optical Communications, Fujikura and NTT-AT, according to the company.
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This story was originally published October 22, 2026 at 12:30 PM.
