Latest from Plant Operations
New U.S. Manufacturing Facilities From ORBIS, Norwalt, Forge Nano, and More
Key Highlights:
- Digital Power Optimization (DPO) invests $200 million to build an AI data center in Wisconsin Rapids, supporting up to 20 megawatts of AI computing
- Quantinuum to establish a new quantum R&D center in New Mexico to advance photonics technologies for trapped ion quantum computing
- Forge Nano opens new semiconductor cleanroom in Colorado to increase capacity and meet growing demand from the semiconductor market
- Norwalt Automation Group moves into a new 28,000-square-foot facility in Florida to enhance production and systems integration for various sectors
- ORBIS Corporation opens a 660,000-square-foot reusable packaging manufacturing plant in Texas
Forge Nano Expands Semiconductor Manufacturing Facility in Colorado
Forge Nano has expanded its semiconductor manufacturing operations with the addition of a 2,000-square-foot cleanroom in Denver, Colorado. The company, which provides atomic layer deposition (ALD) solutions, invested in the new space to support increased production of its TEPHRA ALD cluster tools and meet growing demand from the 200 mm semiconductor market.
The Class 10 (ISO 4) cleanroom includes a metrology lab for advanced thin-film measurement and particle inspection. The space will also house Forge Nano's internal TEPHRA tool and serve dual purposes as a manufacturing area and customer demonstration site.
TEPHRA, built on Forge Nano's proprietary ALDx technology, is designed to coat single wafers with ultrathin, uniform films at ten times the throughput of traditional systems. The tool is used in applications including advanced packaging, power semiconductors, RF devices, microLEDs, and MEMS.
Customer deliveries of the TEPHRA tools are expected to begin in early 2025, with on-site demonstrations available around the same time.
Digital Power Optimization Invests $200 Million to Build AI Data Center in Wisconsin
Digital Power Optimization, Inc. has announced plans to build a $200 million high-performance computing facility in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. The company, which develops and operates power-dense data centers, expects the project to create new jobs and support the growing demand for AI infrastructure.
The facility will support up to 20 megawatts of AI computing capacity. DPO has secured a long-term land lease, interconnection rights to an existing substation, and access to firm power supply through its partnership with Consolidated Water Power Company (CWPCo), a Billerud subsidiary operating 32 megawatts of renewable hydroelectric generation assets.
The project will be located on land leased from CWPCo for up to 50 years and benefits from access to renewable energy infrastructure. Stantec has been engaged to provide design and engineering consulting.
DPO is working with the City of Wisconsin Rapids and various state agencies to finalize permits before breaking ground. The project is expected to be energized in 2026. Pre-development funding was provided by an investor group led by Salutem Capital.
ORBIS Corporation Opens Reusable Packaging Manufacturing Plant in Texas
ORBIS Corporation has opened a manufacturing plant in Greenville, Texas. The company, which produces reusable packaging solutions such as totes and pallets, invested in the 660,000-square-foot facility to expand its capacity and better serve its customer base across North America. The project is expected to create more than 190 new jobs within three years.
The new plant includes 420,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 240,000 square feet of warehouse space. ORBIS repurposed and modernized an existing building to support a phased equipment installation that will include 16 presses in 2025, with space available for future expansion.
Production is expected to reach full capacity by spring 2025. The Greenville site was selected for its business-friendly climate and strategic location, which offers access to a robust transportation network and proximity to key markets in the U.S. and Mexico.
The plant enhances ORBIS’s ability to meet rising demand for reusable packaging, providing customers with more sustainable, efficient options for moving products through the supply chain.
Quantinuum Invests in New Quantum R&D Center in New Mexico
Quantinuum has announced plans to open a new research and development center in New Mexico. The company, which develops quantum computing hardware and software, is expanding its footprint with a facility dedicated to advancing photonics technologies, crucial to the performance of its trapped ion quantum systems.
The upcoming R&D center will support ongoing collaborations with national laboratories and universities, including Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the University of New Mexico. The site will focus on photonics research, a field central to manipulating qubits using light in trapped ion systems.
Quantinuum's new location is expected to open later this year and bring high-paying jobs to the area. The company has previously worked with New Mexico-based researchers to develop applications for quantum computing and support regional workforce development.
Norwalt Automation Group Moves to New Facility in Florida
Norwalt Automation Group has moved to a new production facility in Tampa, Florida. The company, which designs and manufactures custom automation and line integration machinery, invested in the 28,000-square-foot facility to expand its machine and systems integration operations and support continued growth.
The new site marks a major footprint expansion for Norwalt, coming less than two years after the company opened its original Tampa location in 2023. The added space allows Norwalt to increase capacity for projects across multiple sectors, including medical devices, personal care products, household items, and food & beverage applications.
Engineering teams at the Tampa facility will design, build, and validate equipment such as post-mold automation systems, modular automation cells, and robotic integration solutions. While the original Florida site focused heavily on medical and food projects, the new location will take on a broader mix of work across the company's full range of capabilities.
Norwalt selected the expanded facility in response to sustained demand for automation solutions that reduce manual labor and improve production efficiency.
