Budweiser maker boosts US manufacturing investment to $600M

American beer giant Anheuser-Busch is boosting its investment in U.S. operations to $600 million, building on its pledge to create and sustain American manufacturing jobs.

The Budweiser and Michelob ULTRA maker announced Wednesday that it plans to open 15 new technical skills training centers at its operating facilities across the U.S. in collaboration with local trade schools. The company will also accelerate programs dedicated to providing veterans with career opportunities as part of its investment across 2025 and 2026.

“Anheuser-Busch’s $600 million investment is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the future of American manufacturing,” said Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth in a release. “By strengthening our manufacturing operations, we are creating sustainable careers – not just jobs – and investing in the people who are vital to our success. We are proud to continue building the next generation of manufacturing leaders through our new technical training centers while also providing new opportunities in the workforce for our nation’s veterans.”

The training centers will serve to improve Anheuser-Busch employees’ capabilities, covering technical fundamentals, digital tools, management systems and mechanical and electrical systems. The company said it plans to “upskill” more than 90% of its manufacturing workforce over the next five years.

Anheuser-Busch will also continue its partnership with the Manufacturing Institute on its Heroes MAKE America initiative. Since the initiative was announced in May 2025, the beer manufacturer has adopted the institute’s Manufacturing Readiness Badges, incorporating 20 credentials that translate military training into skills required for Anheuser-Busch manufacturing roles.

In 2026, Anheuser-Busch and the Manufacturing Institute will accelerate adoption of the Heroes MAKE America Talent Network, powered by SmartResume. The SmartResume platform supports veterans in the hiring process by making their military skills and experience clear and verifiable for employers.

Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, praised Anheuser-Busch’s investment boost.

“By partnering with the Manufacturing Institute, Anheuser-Busch is powering a new generation of opportunity for the world’s finest workforce – the manufacturing workforce,” said Timmons. “These local technical skills training centers and partnerships with trade schools will transform careers and enable the manufacturing workforce of today and tomorrow to develop the critical skills they need to build life-changing careers, grow our economy and shape American communities.”

Anheuser-Busch highlighted its commitment to maintaining local production for the past 165 years, with 99% of its beer sold in the U.S. being made in the U.S.

In addition to supporting its workforce, the $600 million will also go toward improving Anheuser-Busch’s technology systems, upgrading manufacturing facilities and increasing production and packaging capabilities.

While Anheuser-Busch did not specify where the training centers will be located, FOX2Now reported that one center will be built at Anheuser-Busch’s brewery in St. Louis, Missouri. Another center training center will open at the company’s facility in Fort Collins, Colorado, according to the Coloradoan.

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Anheuser-Busch Doubles US Manufacturing Investment to U$600m

Anheuser-Busch Companies has doubled its previously announced manufacturing investment from £222m (US$300m) to to £445m(US$600m), marking a significant commitment to US operations and workforce development that could offer lessons for food and drink industry leaders navigating similar strategic decisions around domestic manufacturing capabilities.

The manufacturer of brands including Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra and Busch Light is deploying the funds across 2025 and 2026 to strengthen its brewing facilities, establish technical training infrastructure and expand its veteran hiring initiatives. The scale of investment reflects growing industry focus on operational resilience and workforce sustainability.

For C-suite executives in the food and drink sector, the move highlights the increasing strategic importance of balancing capital investment in physical infrastructure with human capital development, particularly as manufacturers face ongoing challenges in attracting and retaining skilled technical workers.

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AI drone company Skydio announces $3.5 billion investment in technology race

Artificial intelligence-powered drone manufacturer Skydio on Friday announced a $3.5 billion investment to expand its domestic production and supply chain as the technology race against China intensifies.

The investment, unveiled during a press conference with local law enforcement in Fairfax County, Virginia, will be deployed over the next five years to scale U.S.-based manufacturing, develop critical components, and create thousands of jobs. 

“This is going to go squarely into the U.S. drone ecosystem,” Skydio CEO Adam Bry said, adding that the company plans to “5x the size of our own factory” and dedicate roughly $1 billion toward sourcing key components domestically.

The announcement comes amid heightened warnings from U.S. officials about foreign threats to American innovation. 

A memo circulated this week by White House technology adviser Michael Kratsios warned that China has been actively attempting to steal United States advances in AI, raising concerns about supply chain vulnerabilities.

Bry emphasized that the global drone market has been dominated by foreign manufacturers, many based in China.

“It’s just untenable to be dependent on our adversaries for technology this important,” he said. 

A central component of the investment is a new initiative aimed at “onshoring” production of drone parts, including motors, batteries, and microchips. The effort seeks to build a fully domestic supply chain for robotics and AI-enabled systems, reducing reliance on overseas manufacturing hubs. 

“It’s not a mystery that right now, the world-leading manufacturing ecosystem for electronics is in China,” Bry said. “But there’s no law of physics that says it has to be that way.” 

Bry said the investment will create thousands of jobs, primarily in California, where the company is based, but will also look nationally.

Kratsios, who attended the announcement event, called the announcement “a real turning point” for U.S. industrial policy, tying it to broader federal efforts to secure supply chains and strengthen domestic manufacturing. 

“We are going to ensure that the most advanced, most reliable and most trusted systems in the world are built here in the United States,” he said, describing domestic production as a “national security imperative.” 

Drone technology is increasingly linked to broader geopolitical competition with China, particularly as AI-driven systems become integral to military, infrastructure, and public safety operations. 

Skydio drones are already used by U.S. military branches, law enforcement agencies, and infrastructure operators, driving demand for expanded domestic production.

US MILITARY SITES DEPLOY DRONES FOR SECURITY AS RECRUITMENT FLUCTUATES

President Donald Trump has pushed for what he has dubbed “drone dominance,” signing an executive order that seeks to build a strong domestic drone sector. 

Skydio is already part of the administration’s movement, as it secured a record-breaking contract with the Department of War in March, making a $52 million sale of its drones to the agency, the largest small drone procurement from a single manufacturer.

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Anheuser-Busch Doubles U.S. Manufacturing Investment To $600M

St. Louis — Anheuser-Busch is increasing its investment in its U.S. operations to $600 million across 2025 and 2026.

The new figure doubles a previously announced $300 million commitment. The announcement is part of Anheuser-Busch’s ongoing Brewing Futures initiative and builds on the company’s more than 165-year legacy of investing in its people, breweries and communities.

Three key pillars

The expanded investment centers on three key pillars:

• First: creating and sustaining manufacturing jobs by increasing investments in U.S. operations to $600 million total over two years.
• Second: building the manufacturing workforce for the future by opening 15 new technical skills training centers at facilities across the country and collaborating with technical trade schools.
• Third: strengthening manufacturing career opportunities for veterans by helping former and current service members pursue manufacturing careers in the private sector.

Brewery upgrades and capacity

The investment will fund brewery upgrades, advance technology systems and increase production and packaging capabilities across the company’s brewery network. Those capabilities support production for brands including Michelob Ultra, Busch Light, Budweiser and Bud Light.

Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth said the investment underscores the company’s commitment to U.S. manufacturing.

“Anheuser-Busch’s $600 million investment is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the future of American manufacturing,” Whitworth said.

Technical skills training centers

The 15 new technical skills training centers will offer employees instruction in technical fundamentals, digital tools, management systems and mechanical and electrical systems.

Anheuser-Busch said it plans to upskill more than 90 percent of its manufacturing workforce over the next five years. The company has embedded its trade school collaboration into the opening of the new training centers, ensuring that curriculums address local skills gaps and community needs.

Supporting veteran career pathways

Anheuser-Busch is continuing to work with the Manufacturing Institute’s Heroes MAKE America initiative to provide former and current service members with resources to pursue careers in manufacturing.

Since announcing its industry-leading adoption of MI’s Manufacturing Readiness Badges in May 2025, Anheuser-Busch has integrated more than 20 total credentials that translate military training into skills required for manufacturing roles within its operations.

In 2026, Anheuser-Busch and MI are accelerating adoption of the Heroes MAKE America Talent Network, powered by SmartResume. The jointly developed platform is designed to make military skills and experience visible, verified and easily understood by employers.

Anheuser-Busch has embedded the tool into its career website to support veteran hiring and guide candidates through the application process. The platform has driven strong engagement, with nearly 25 percent of the more than 600 industry-wide SmartResumes completed to date originating from Anheuser-Busch’s platform.

Broader legacy

The company said investments in these areas are not new for Anheuser-Busch and represent the latest evolution in the company’s long-standing commitment to its workforce and communities.

Details about specific facility investments, including in Williamsburg, Virginia, are expected later this year.

[RELATED: Kearney Cites ‘Unpredictable’ Consumer Behavior In Beverage Outlook]

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AbbVie Expands US Manufacturing with $1.4B Plant Investment

AbbVie has announced plans to invest $1.4 billion in building a pharmaceutical manufacturing campus in Durham, NC, its largest capital investment to date. 

The new 185-acre campus will integrate advanced manufacturing and laboratory technologies with artificial intelligence (AI) to support the production of AbbVie’s immunology, neuroscience, and oncology medicines, according to a news release from the global drug maker. 

This is AbbVie’s first major investment in North Carolina. The AbbVie Durham campus, located near Research Triangle Park, was selected for the strength of the region’s local workforce and its ability to support future expansion, the biopharmaceutical company added in the news release. 

Construction will begin this year, with completion expected by the end of 2028.

“Our investment in North Carolina represents a significant milestone for AbbVie as our largest capital investment to date and an important expansion of our manufacturing footprint into a new region of the United States,” Robert A. Michael, chairman and chief executive officer of AbbVie said. 

Related:International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering Announces 2026 Facility of the Year Winners

Over the next four years, AbbVie plans to hire 734 people, including engineers, scientists, manufacturing operators and laboratory technicians. The project will also generate more than 2,000 construction jobs during campus development. 

The first phase of construction will include small volume parenteral (SVP) drug product manufacturing facilities, next-generation laboratories, a warehouse, administrative offices, and employee wellness facilities.

Small volume parenterals are sterile injectable pharmaceutical products with volumes typically less than 100 mL, including vials, prefilled cartridges, and prefilled syringes containing medicines for injection or infusion. When completed, this campus will serve as AbbVie’s US center of excellence for SVP manufacturing and deliver medicines to patients in the US and worldwide.

This project is part of the pharmaceutical company’s $100 billion commitment to US research and development (R&D) and capital investments, including manufacturing, over the next decade. 

In March, AbbVie announced a $380 million investment to build two new active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facilities at its North Chicago, IL, campus. The facilities will use advanced manufacturing technologies with AI to support the production of neuroscience and obesity medications.

Over the last several months, AbbVie has announced plans to significantly expand its API manufacturing capabilities and capacity in the US. In September 2025, AbbVie broke ground on the first phase of this investment, a new chemical synthesis facility that will enable the return of API production for some neuroscience, immunology, and oncology products from Europe and Asia to the US.

Related:2 More Pharma Companies Sell Medicines on TrumpRx

The Skyrizi and Rinvoq maker also announced plans in September 2025 to invest $70 million to expand its biologics R&D and manufacturing facility in Massachusetts.

Like more than a dozen other pharmaceutical manufacturers, AbbVie signed an agreement with the Trump Administration to lower prescription drug prices and invest in research domestically in exchange for a three-year tariff exemption. 

As part of the agreement, which AbbVie announced in January, the multinational pharmaceutical company will provide drugs through Medicaid at lower prices under most favored nation status.

Additionally, the drug maker will participate in TrumpRx, the direct-to-consumer platform, expanding its direct-to-patient offerings for medicines including Alphagan, Combigan, Humira, and Synthroid, making them available at significant discounts. The agreement to sell medications on the platform reportedly will allow patients without insurance coverage of the drugs and Medicaid access to rates comparable to other developed countries.

Related:ISPE Announces 2026 Europe Conference Keynotes, Sessions

Nearly a dozen other drug companies, including J&J, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, GSK, Merck, Novartis, and Sanofi, AstaZeneca, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer have signed agreements to sell some medications at discount prices on the direct-to-consumer platform, over the last several months.

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Billionaire behind ‘American Factory’ firm warns of US exit amid trade friction with China

As one of the world’s largest automotive glass producers, and the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary, Fuyao Glass is a familiar name in the United States. Now, its founder has warned he is prepared to shut down his American plants if trade friction and tariffs cause severe losses.

Responding to questions regarding geopolitical risks at the company’s annual general meeting, Cao Dewang said that the company would not engage in loss-making ventures.

“How much in duties you want to impose is your business,” said the billionaire, who turns 80 next month. “If we encounter unreasonable situations, we’ll simply shut down the [US] factories.”

While Fuyao’s American roots stretch back to 1995, its presence is now anchored by its plant in Moraine, Ohio – a shuttered General Motors factory that Fuyao purchased in 2014.

The 2019 film American Factory documented the site’s transformation, tracing both its role in revitalising a depressed local economy and Cao’s harsh campaign against unionisation.

Today, Fuyao Glass employs thousands of American workers across facilities in Ohio, Illinois and South Carolina, supplying leading automotive manufacturers including General Motors, Ford and BMW in the United States, according to its website.

The company also holds the distinction of being the first Chinese firm to successfully sue the US Department of Commerce, winning a landmark case that virtually exempted Fuyao from anti-dumping duties in 2004.

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Trump promises to bring US manufacturing back from China, but will his tariffs work?

Trump promises to bring US manufacturing back from China, but will his tariffs work?

Cao’s comments earlier this week – widely reported by Chinese media, including state-owned The Paper – came just over a year after US President Donald Trump launched his “Liberation Day” tariffs on major trading partners. The move ignited a renewed trade war with Beijing that saw duties on Chinese imports peak at 145 per cent before tensions de-escalated.



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US manufacturing activity hits 4-year high: White House

US manufacturing is witnessing a surge across the country as the sector is growing for the third consecutive month, with key indicators showing broad strength, the White House recently said.

The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) key manufacturing index—which tracks factory activity across the country—registered the sector’s third straight month of expansion for its highest reading since 2022.

US manufacturing is seeing a surge as the sector is growing for the third month in a row, with key indicators showing broad strength, the White House said.
The ISM manufacturing index saw the third straight month of expansion for its highest reading since 2022.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s April manufacturing index rose.
Orders for capital goods exceeded $4 billion in each month of Q4 2025.

The ISM new orders index expanded for the third consecutive month as both domestic and global buyers turn to US-made goods. The production index expanded for the fifth consecutive month and is accelerating as factories run at a pace not seen since before the Joe Biden-era slowdown, a White House release said.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s manufacturing index surged in April, smashing expectations.

The manufacturing sector capped off the first quarter of 2026 with the first positive manufacturing job growth in three years. In a year, real manufacturing worker pay increased by $2,400 under President Trump after falling by $830 during President Biden’s four years in office.

The broader US economy has now expanded for 17 consecutive months, a streak of sustained growth the Biden Administration was never able to deliver.

Meanwhile, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testified this week before the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee to lay out how Trump’s trade policy is delivering tangible results for American workers and their families, eliminating long-standing trade barriers abroad while reshoring jobs and production back home.

He highlighted the surge in orders for capital goods used for production, exceeding $4 billion each month of the fourth quarter of 2025.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

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Skydio to invest $3.5 billion to expand U.S. drone manufacturing

Skydio announced plans to invest $3.5 billion in the United States over the next five years to expand domestic manufacturing and research capabilities. The company said the initiative aims to strengthen supply chains and support long-term growth in the U.S. drone industry.

 

The investment is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs within Skydio and support over 3,000 additional roles across the domestic supply chain. More than $1 billion of the total funding will be directed to U.S.-based suppliers.

Skydio said it already produces more dual-use drones than any company outside China. The company has delivered over 60,000 systems to more than 3,800 customers, including public safety agencies, U.S. military branches, allied nations and commercial operators.

A central element of the expansion is the SkyForge program. This initiative is designed to support domestic production and reinforce U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities.

 

 

The company plans to open a new manufacturing facility that will be five times larger than its current site. This will mark Skydio’s fifth expansion in eight years as it responds to increased demand.

The investment will also support the development of domestic suppliers for critical components. Skydio said it will work with selected partners to co-locate production and provide access to engineering expertise.

Adam Bry, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Skydio, said: “U.S. innovation invented the airplane, ramped up manufacturing to win WWII, put a man on the moon, broke the sound barrier, and commercialized space travel.” He added: “Skydio has proven that American companies can compete and win in the civilian drone market against products from our adversaries.”

The company said drones have rapidly evolved into critical infrastructure tools across multiple sectors. Its systems are used in public safety, where aerial capabilities can support faster response times.

 

 

Skydio said its technology enables drones to arrive first at incident scenes in a majority of cases. In some situations, operations can be resolved without deploying additional units.

The company said the investment will reinforce domestic manufacturing of electronics and components. It also aims to strengthen secure supply chains that support national resilience.

Skydio said it will continue expanding production capacity to meet demand from public safety, national security and utility sectors. The company added that the initiative reflects a broader effort to position the United States as a leader in autonomous aerial systems.

 

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AbbVie CEO Leads US$1.4bn Manufacturing Expansion

AbbVie is investing £1.1bn (US$1.4bn) in a 185-acre pharmaceutical manufacturing campus in Durham, North Carolina, marking the company’s largest capital investment to date. The decision represents a significant strategic move by the pharmaceutical giant to expand its US manufacturing footprint into a new region.

The campus will integrate advanced manufacturing and laboratory technologies as well as AI to support the production of immunology, neuroscience and oncology medicines. AbbVie expects the facility to create 734 jobs, including engineers, scientists, manufacturing operators and laboratory technicians.

The first phase of construction will include small volume parenteral drug product manufacturing facilities, next-generation laboratories, a warehouse, administrative offices and employee wellness facilities. Small volume parenterals are sterile injectable pharmaceutical products with volumes typically less than 100ml, including vials, prefilled cartridges and prefilled syringes containing medicines for injection or infusion.

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US Unveils High-tech Manufacturing Zone in Philippines Under Pax Silica to Secure AI Supply Chains

The United States announced plans on April 16 to establish a high-tech manufacturing zone in the Philippines under the Pax Silica initiative, a U.S.-led framework aimed at strengthening AI supply chains and economic security among allied nations.

The 4,000-acre industrial hub will be located in the Luzon Economic Corridor, forming part of a new “Economic Security Zone” model designed to boost advanced manufacturing and secure critical supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region.

“The Economic Security Zone is part of a broader strategy to surge production for inputs vital to U.S. supply chains,” the U.S. Department of State in a release.”

“It is expected to serve as a purpose-built platform for allied manufacturing—an investment acceleration hub where the specific industrial activities are shaped by market demand, host-country comparative advantages, and the evolving needs of the allied network.” 

According to the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippine trade official Ceferino S. Rodolfo signed a declaration this month formalizing the country’s participation in Pax Silica.

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Launched in December by the United States and 13 partner countries — including Japan, India, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates — the initiative aims to build resilient semiconductor supply chains, secure critical minerals, and align economic security strategies among allies.

Countering China’s dominance in global supply chains

Analysts say the project is closely tied to efforts to reduce reliance on China-dominated supply chains and reshape global production networks.

“It looks like the U.S. is persuading the Philippines to align more closely with its bloc in the region as a counterbalance to China,” said Prof. Pooran Pandey of the Global TechnoPolitics Forum.

“If the 20th century ran on oil and steel, the 21st century runs on computers and the minerals that feed it,” said Jacob Helberg, U.S. Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, in a prior State Department statement.

“This historic declaration hails a new economic security consensus ensuring aligned partners build the AI ecosystem of tomorrow — from energy and critical minerals to high-end manufacturing and models.”

The State Department did not explicitly name China but referred to a “systematic transformation” aimed at competing with and ultimately displacing concentrated supply chains.

The Philippines’ role is seen as strategic, given its reserves of nickel, copper, chromite, and cobalt, all critical for electronics and clean energy technologies, as well as its growing labor force.

The Philippines joined Pax Silica shortly after signing a U.S.-Philippines Critical Minerals Framework on Feb. 4, reinforcing cooperation in sectors such as semiconductors, electronics, and resource extraction.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. will use the land rent-free for two years and that the facility will operate under U.S. common law with diplomatic immunity, an unprecedented arrangement for an overseas industrial hub.

Pandey said the initiative reflects broader U.S.-China geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific.

“China continues to remain the elephant in the room for Americans as a fast emerging superpower across the board,” he said.

An April 20 op-ed by Philippines-based outlet Dito Sa Pilipinas described the project as part of a wider global supply chain realignment driven by geopolitical rivalry.

“The industrial hub cannot be separated from the broader rivalry between the United States and China,” it said. “Countries like the Philippines are being positioned as alternative production and sourcing bases for strategic materials and technologies.”

Economic opportunities and domestic concerns in the Philippines

Experts say the project could significantly reshape the Philippines economy, bringing investment and infrastructure development.

“For the Philippines, the project promises significant economic transformation by attracting substantial foreign investment into sectors such as electronics and clean energy,” said Dr. Sampa Kundu, a New Delhi-based researcher.

“It is expected to create thousands of high-quality jobs, modernise infrastructure such as ports and rail, and position the country as a leading destination for innovation.”

Local analysts also see potential for long-term gains through deeper integration with U.S.-led industrial networks.

However, concerns remain over whether the benefits will extend broadly across the domestic economy.

“If it functions mainly as a self-contained enclave with limited spillover effects, the benefits may remain concentrated and externalized,” Dito Sa Pilipinas noted.

There are also questions about governance. Because the hub is expected to operate under U.S. common law, critics worry about limited Philippine regulatory oversight.

“The question is not just who builds and funds the hub, but who sets the rules, resolves disputes, and ultimately benefits from its operations,” the op-ed said.

Indo-Pacific geopolitics and strategic implications

The project’s location in the Luzon Economic Corridor underscores its geopolitical significance in the Indo-Pacific strategy of the United States and its allies.

Experts say the initiative reflects the emergence of economic-security blocs, where trade, technology, and defense considerations are increasingly intertwined.

“Regionally, it marks a shift toward economic-security blocs, strengthening a U.S.-aligned industrial network in the Indo-Pacific,” Kundu said.

While this could enhance resilience against global supply chain disruptions, it may also intensify geopolitical competition.

For the Philippines, the development presents both opportunity and risk.

“On one hand, the Philippines gains visibility in high-tech and strategic industries it has long tried to enter,” Dito Sa Pilipinas said. “On the other, it risks becoming overly embedded in a geopolitical competition that prioritizes strategic alignment over domestic industrial policy.”

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