Bikaji invests $2.9 million to expand US manufacturing footprint – Indian Television Dot Com

MUMBAI: Looks like Bikaji is adding a dash of local flavour to its global recipe. The packaged snacks maker is strengthening its American ambitions with a fresh capital infusion into its US subsidiary, betting on local manufacturing to serve the growing appetite for Indian snacks across North America.

Bikaji Foods International has invested an additional $2.9 million (around Rs 25 crore) in its wholly owned subsidiary, Bikaji Foods International USA Corp, as part of its strategy to deepen its presence in one of its fastest-growing overseas markets.

The company subscribed to 290,000 equity shares, taking the subsidiary’s paid-up capital to $4.05 million. The transaction does not alter Bikaji’s ownership structure, with the Indian parent continuing to hold 100 per cent of the US business.

The fresh capital will be used to establish a manufacturing facility in the United States, enabling Bikaji to produce locally instead of relying solely on exports. The company expects the move to strengthen its supply chain, improve customer access and accelerate business growth while meeting rising demand for Indian packaged snacks in the region.

Established in 2023, Bikaji Foods International USA Corp is engaged in the trading of packaged food products, including bhujia, namkeen, sweets and frozen foods. The subsidiary has recorded steady growth since its launch, with turnover rising from $1.1 million in FY24 to $1.77 million in FY25, before reaching $2.62 million in FY26.

The investment reflects a broader trend among Indian packaged food companies, which are expanding overseas to tap into the growing Indian diaspora as well as increasing mainstream demand for ethnic and ready-to-eat food products.

For Bikaji, which has been steadily scaling its international business alongside domestic growth, the US remains a strategically important market, with local manufacturing expected to provide a stronger platform for its next phase of expansion.

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Caterpillar invests $5M in Texas manufacturing workforce

Caterpillar Inc. is investing $5 million to strengthen the talent pipeline for advanced manufacturing jobs in Texas, the company announced Thursday at its Seguin facility.

The move comes amid the Trump administration’s push to boost the U.S. manufacturing industry and is part of a broader $100 million pledge Caterpillar made last year to invest in the U.S. workforce.

Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday tours the Caterpillar facility in Seguin.

Kelsey Brown/San Antonio Express-News

Gov. Greg Abbott speaks Thursday at the Caterpillar facility in Seguin.

Kelsey Brown/San Antonio Express-News

The goal is to boost “future-ready, high-quality careers,” said Christy Pambianchi, Caterpillar’s chief human resources officer. “Over the last decade … we’ve tried to really emphasize manufacturing here in the United States,” she said. “We’re kind of rebuilding the educational pipelines and the training pipelines to grow a manufacturing workforce.” 

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A key part of Caterpillar’s initiative includes educating people about what advanced manufacturing jobs look like. Manufacturing has changed in the last 30 years, and the job often entails working with automation and innovative technology, she said.

READ MORE: Meta launching construction training program with $115M investment

“Not a lot of people are inside the four walls of a plant, so they don’t always know it’s super modern, really interesting jobs,” she said. “We need more young people to aspire to jobs in manufacturing.” 

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While the money will be invested in spurring interest in manufacturing jobs and linking Caterpillar with education systems and training institutions across the state, there are no specific guidelines for how that $5 million will be allocated — but that is intentional. 

Rather than coming in with boxes to check and a clear end point, Pambianchi explained that Caterpillar is looking to partner with local educational and training institutions, economic development organizations and companies to identify the gaps that need to be filled. 

“We’re going to work locally, bottoms up, to say ‘What would have the highest impact here? ’” Pambianchi said. “Of course, we want to benefit from that, but also the whole community is going to benefit.” 

Gov. Greg Abbott, who toured the Seguin facility before the announcement was made, has been leading the state’s efforts to strengthen its workforce pipeline and train workers to use new technology in manufacturing as part of the Texas Task Force on Modernizing Manufacturing.

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“Bottom line, our economy is going incredibly well,” Abbott said. “Caterpillar is a tremendous asset to the Texas economy. A reason why companies like Caterpillar and so many others are moving here is because Texas is well known for having high-skilled job training programs, like what we’re talking about here today, that provide, literally, the best workforce in the United States.”

He also said Caterpillar made the “right decision” to move to Texas. The company announced in 2022 that it was moving its global headquarters from Deerfield, Ill., to Irving.

Seguin Mayor Donna Dodgen said Caterpillar’s investment could provide a path out of poverty for the city’s residents. The city has a poverty rate of 17.1%, higher than the state average of 13.4%, according to census data.

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It’s a “big deal” for there to be high-skilled manufacturing positions that offer annual salaries of upward of $100,000, but what’s even more important, she said, is that the investment would create access to education and economic success. 

“Rather than just the true college track — people have choice,” she said. “It’s about choice.”

While there’s an emphasis on recruiting young workers, Mike Reeser, chancellor and CEO of Texas State Technical College, a partner in the investment, said Caterpillar’s investment will provide clear pathways for people at different stages to lock in a secure manufacturing job. 

READ MORE: These San Antonio jobs have the most AI exposure. How does your profession stack up?

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For people who are underemployed and looking for expanded job opportunities, he said a credential from a technical college is a great alternative to a master’s degree. 

“You take the communication skills and the critical thinking and the capabilities taught by a bachelor’s degree, and then you add a technical certification on top of it, and you become irresistible to employers,” Reeser said. “You’ve set a career arc that is sure to grow rapidly.” 

Pambianchi said the investment could grow in Texas. The goal is to create a sustainable pipeline of talent to fuel its manufacturing facilities in Texas cities such as San Antonio, Schertz and Seguin. 

“It’s not just a job. It’s a pathway and an entry to a career — a career that could be very robust,” Pambianchi said. “It could take you in a lot of directions.” 

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Caterpillar isn’t the only company investing in training programs.

In June, Meta Platforms Inc. launched a $115 million nationwide program to train construction workers, fiber technicians, welders, plumbers, electricians and skilled trades workers. The five-week, fully funded training program aims to address the labor shortage across the state and nation. 

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Panel Built Invests in Workforce Development to Support the Future of U.S. Manufacturing

Work-Based Learning and internship programs prepare the next generation of skilled professionals in North Georgia

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga., May 14, 2026 (Newswire.com)
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As manufacturers across the United States face growing labor shortages driven by retirements in the skilled trades, Panel Built, Inc. is expanding its investment in workforce development through structured Work-Based Learning (WBL) and internship programs.

Based in North Georgia, Panel Built partners with local schools to give students hands-on experience in manufacturing, engineering, and business operations. The initiative supports long-term workforce stability while strengthening the regional economy.

The labor shortage challenge is significant. In the United States, manufacturers are expected to need an estimated 2.1 million new workers by 2030 to replace retiring employees, while the American Welding Society projects that 320,500 new welders will be needed by 2029. Similar shortages are expected across construction, electrical, and other skilled trades.

A Structured Approach to Work-Based Learning

Panel Built’s WBL and internship programs place students directly into day-to-day operations. Participants are paid employees who complete the same onboarding process as any other new hire and contribute across departments including engineering, drafting, shipping, customer service, IT, marketing, and sales.

Many continue working with the company through college, particularly in welding and engineering roles that often lead to full-time positions. The program also includes participation in regional CTAE initiatives, career development events, and mock interviews that prepare students for professional environments.

Partnerships That Strengthen the Local Workforce

The company partners with Union County High School and Fannin County High School to identify and prepare students for participation in the Work-Based Learning program.

Kerri Bradshaw, Coordinator for Union County High School’s CTAE and Work-Based Learning programs, said the breadth of experience is what sets Panel Built’s program apart, adding that students can “work and grow in manufacturing, welding, engineering, marketing, accounting, general office work, and IT work.”

Those who fully engage in Work-Based Learning often leave with greater confidence and clearer direction, along with stronger professional habits such as accountability, communication, and teamwork.

Real-World Experience That Translates to Careers

Student participants consistently point to the value of hands-on experience and increased responsibility. Former WBL student Drew McDaris said that in high school, students are “usually treated as a kid, and don’t get a chance to show your worth,” but at Panel Built, “if you show them you are worth your pay, they will trust you and treat you like an adult.”

That growth is recognized across departments. Beth Satterfield, Panel Built Marketing Manager, noted that it is “rewarding to watch students shift from being unsure of themselves to taking real ownership of their daily tasks.”

Investing in Long-Term Stability

For Panel Built, workforce development is part of long-term planning. Supporting students as they gain real-world experience strengthens the company’s team while reinforcing stability in the industries it serves.

To learn more, visit our Workforce Development blog.

About Panel Built

Panel Built, Inc., headquartered in Blairsville, Georgia, is a manufacturer of modular buildings and prefabricated steel structures for industrial, commercial, and government applications. Since 1995, the company has provided custom-engineered solutions designed to meet specific facility and operational needs.

Media Contact

Beth Satterfield
esatterfield@panelbuilt.com
706.389.1803

SOURCE: Panel Built

Source: Panel Built

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STL invests $100M in US manufacturing capacity

India’s Sterlite Technologies Ltd. (STL) is investing up to $100 million to strengthen its manufacturing capacity in the U.S.

Announced at the SelectUSA Investment Summit, the firm is building out capacity as it bids to strengthen its foothold in connectivity solutions, including terminated optical fiber cables, for AI data centers and telecom customers in the U.S.

STL also claimed the investment is expected to create 400-500 jobs.

“By owning the entire value chain, from glass to data center portfolio, we are excited to enable our customers to build the physical foundation for the AI era”, said Rahul Puri, CEO of STL. “This investment will ensure that the infrastructure required to build a strong AI backbone behind global intelligence is scalable and reliable.”

STL recently launched Neuralis, a suite of connectivity products designed for AI-driven data centers. The platform was framed as a comprehensive connectivity foundation for modern data centers, which are increasingly being built around GPU-intensive architectures and AI training environments. The firm described the offering as a “central nervous system” for these facilities, built to support the higher density and bandwidth requirements tied to AI and hyperscale computing.

The company said Neuralis is designed to respond to changing data traffic patterns in modern data centers, with AI workloads driving a surge in east-west traffic, where data flows between servers internally. Neuralis is engineered to support this shift through higher-density, high-speed connectivity.

STL also highlighted its vertically integrated manufacturing model with the release, touting that it manages the entire production lifecycle spanning across glass preform fabrication and fiber drawing, to cabling and final connector assembly.

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General Motors invests $6 billion into U.S. manufacturing

DETROIT, Mich. — General Motors has invested over $6 billion into its U.S. manufacturing footprint over the past year, with hundreds of millions dedicated towards projects in Michigan.

The company recently announced $830 million in investments towards projects that will support the launch of GM’s next generation full-size trucks and SUVs.

The sites benefiting from the total investment include:

• Romulus Propulsion Systems, receiving $300 million to increase the facility’s capacity to produce 10-speed transmissions, which are used in GM’s next-generation full-size trucks and SUVs. This is a further capacity increase for production at Romulus, which initially received $300 million late last year to support this work. Romulus has about 1,000 employees.
• Saginaw Metal Casting Operations (Michigan) recently announced to its approximately 350 employees a $150 million investment to increase head casting volume for Gen 6 engines, supporting next-generation full-size pickup trucks and Corvettes.

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The company says these investments show the strength of GM’s current operations and its focus on positioning its U.S. manufacturing base for continued leadership in full-size truck and SUVs segments.

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AbbVie Invests $1.4 Billion into New Manufacturing Campus in North Carolina

AbbVie announced a $1.4 billion investment to build a 185-acre pharmaceutical manufacturing campus in Durham, North Carolina.

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The decision marks the company’s largest capital investment to date and its first major presence in the state.

The campus, located near Research Triangle Park, is set to integrate advanced manufacturing and laboratory technologies with artificial intelligence to support production of AbbVie’s immunology, neuroscience, and oncology medicines.1 The first phase of construction is expected to include small volume parenteral drug product manufacturing facilities for sterile injectables including vials, prefilled cartridges, and prefilled syringes, alongside next-generation laboratories, a warehouse, administrative offices, and employee wellness facilities.1

Upon complete, the Durham campus will serve as AbbVie’s U.S. center of excellence for SVP manufacturing, supplying patients both domestically and internationally.1

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

AbbVie is expecting to hire 734 people over the next four years, including engineers, scientists, manufacturing operators, and laboratory technicians, along with the development phase expecting to generate more than 2,000 construction jobs. Durham was selected due to the strength of its regional workforce and its capacity to support future expansion.

“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,” said Robert A. Michael, chairman and chief executive officer of AbbVie. “By establishing this campus, we are strengthening our ability to support future medical breakthroughs while also creating new jobs and a long-term partnership with Durham and the State of North Carolina.”

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein welcomed the investment, saying, “When you combine our world-renowned research and innovation with a strong, thriving life sciences hub, North Carolina quickly becomes the premier location for biopharmaceutical companies to do business.”

The Durham campus is part of AbbVie’s previously announced $100 billion commitment to U.S. research, development, and capital investments over the next decade.2 The company says it has now committed more than $2.2 billion in U.S. manufacturing investment over the past 12 months, including a $745 million license agreement with Haisco, and creating more than 1,300 jobs across North Carolina, Illinois, Arizona, and Massachusetts. AbbVie currently employs approximately 29,000 people in the U.S., including more than 6,000 at its domestic manufacturing campuses.

“AbbVie’s mission is to make a remarkable impact for the patients we serve around the world through our innovative medicines,” said Robert A. Michael, chairman and chief executive officer, AbbVie. “With approximately 29,000 U.S.-based employees and products treating 16 million Americans annually, we understand the complexity and access challenges in our healthcare system.”

The investment follows a broader trend of major pharmaceutical companies expanding U.S. manufacturing capacity, driven by a combination of supply chain resilience concerns, domestic policy incentives, and growing demand for complex biologics and injectable therapies across chronic disease indications.

1. AbbVie Selects North Carolina for New $1.4 Billion Manufacturing Campus AbbVie April 22, 2026 https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abbvie-selects-north-carolina-for-new-1-4-billion-manufacturing-campus-302750567.html
2. AbbVie and Trump Administration Reach Agreement to Improve Access and Affordability for Americans AbbVie January 12, 2026 https://news.abbvie.com/2026-01-12-AbbVie-and-Trump-Administration-Reach-Agreement-to-Improve-Access-and-Affordability-for-Americans

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Toyota Invests $1 Billion to Expand U.S. Manufacturing Capacity

GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Toyota is investing $1 billion across its Kentucky and Indiana manufacturing operations to expand production capacity and support electrification, as the company marks 40 years of vehicle assembly in Kentucky.

The investment includes $800 million at Toyota’s Georgetown, Kentucky plant to prepare the facility for a second battery electric vehicle and increase assembly capacity for the Camry and RAV4. An additional $200 million will go to Toyota’s Indiana plant to expand production of the Grand Highlander SUV.

Toyota said the investment is part of a previously announced plan to invest up to $10 billion in U.S. manufacturing over the next five years, aimed at meeting customer demand and supporting a broader vehicle lineup.

The Georgetown facility, Toyota’s largest manufacturing plant globally, has produced more than 14 million vehicles since opening in 1986. The site remains a key hub for vehicle assembly and is central to the company’s strategy to expand production in North America.

In Indiana, the investment will increase output of the Grand Highlander, which will be assembled alongside the Sienna minivan in the plant’s East facility while continuing production with the Lexus TX in the West facility.

“Today’s announcement reflects the company’s commitment to meeting customer demand and the belief in our team to get it done,” said Jason Puckett, president of Toyota Indiana.

Toyota said the investments are designed to increase throughput and support production of both traditional and electrified vehicles as demand shifts across the automotive market.

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In addition to manufacturing expansion, the company is investing in workforce development programs tied to its production operations. Toyota Kentucky announced $4 million in funding for STEM education initiatives in local school systems and $400,000 to support manufacturing engineering programs at Eastern Kentucky University.

The company said the efforts are intended to support workforce readiness and ensure a pipeline of skilled workers for future production needs.

Toyota’s Kentucky plant employs approximately 10,000 workers, while its Indiana facility employs more than 7,000. The company said continued investment in facilities and workforce development is essential to maintaining production capacity and supporting long-term manufacturing growth in the United States.

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Siemens Invests $165M for U.S. Data Center Manufacturing

Siemens has invested more than $165 million across North and South Carolina to support America’s rapidly accelerating AI and data center markets. The new and expanded sites directly support Siemens’ record levels of data center-related electrical equipment orders while also increasing the company’s US manufacturing capacity.These expanded facilities will enable faster production, assembly, and delivery of essential low and medium voltage products to customers. From protection and automation devices manufactured in Wendell, North Carolina, to busway systems produced in Roebuck, South Carolina, these solutions provide the electrical backbone needed to rapidly scale AI data centers and AI factories across the United States. These investments build on nearly $700 million Siemens has committed over the past several years to expand local U.S. manufacturing capacity, including new and expanded electrical products facilities in Pomona, California, and Fort Worth, Texas. “Customer demand is at an all-time high as advanced infrastructure upgrades are needed to meet the power requirements from increasing AI workloads,” said Ruth Gratzke, President of Siemens Smart Infrastructure U.S. “Through sustained investment in U.S. manufacturing, Siemens is enhancing its capacity to meet the needs of data center and AI factory customers during this transformative phase of the AI industrial revolution, underscoring our long‑standing commitment to American made solutions.”In North Carolina, Siemens is growing its footprint with two new all-electric, carbon�neutral facilities. In Raleigh, the brand new 131,000-square-foot facility will add 100 jobs by the end of the year and will assemble Siemens’ integrated power delivery solutions. These prefabricated systems significantly reduce on-site installation time for critical power infrastructure, helping data center operators bring capacity online faster. In Wendell, a new 101,000-square-foot site will localize production of medium voltage protection and automation devices while adding 50 new roles. Lastly, Siemens’ Wendell-based Electrification and Automation U.S. headquarters will expand local switchgear production, creating more than 200 additional jobs at the facility by 2028. In South Carolina, Siemens is opening a new 120,000-square-foot facility in Spartanburg that will house the company’s lighting panel production and distribution center. Nearby in Roebuck, the company’s current facility will also add 22,000 square feet. This will increase busway production capacity significantly along with additional fabrication capabilities. The expanded facility will feature a new paint line, epoxy line, and an expanded plating line. Together, the Spartanburg and Roebuck facilities will add 150 new manufacturing roles to Spartanburg County. “Siemens’ investment in North and South Carolina will expand America’s ability to build the critical infrastructure that powers our grid, while also creating hundreds of American jobs,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. “The Trump Administration remains committed to unleashing the affordable, reliable, and secure power needed to power the future of American innovation and prosperity.”These electrical products, together with Siemens’ simulation, automation and cooling optimization portfolios create a chip-to-grid-to-buildings solution that reshapes the infrastructure powering AI. Together these technologies ensure efficiency and resiliency for the data center industry as well as neighboring communities across the country.As workforce development is as critical as production capacity for the future of AI infrastructure, the Siemens Foundation recently launched Careers Electric™, a national initiative designed to expand access to high-quality electrical training and create clear pathways to well-paying, in-demand electrical careers. Careers Electric™ launched in North Carolina with a $9.25 million investment from the Siemens Foundation, in partnership with state leaders, education institutions, and national workforce organizations. Together, through increased manufacturing capacity, technology development and workforce training initiatives, Siemens remains committed to aiding the U.S. in its position as a leader in innovation.For more information on Siemens’ data center solutions, visit here.

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EOS invests $3m in United States manufacturing and logistics expansion

EOS has invested 3 million USD into the expansion of its US manufacturing and logistics capacity.

The company has consolidated its North American warehouse and logistics capability at its Pflugerville, Texas, campus into a new 40,000 square foot facility in Belton, Texas, which has enabled the manufacturing space in Pflugerville to be increased.

EOS says the reconfiguration of existing facilities and the opening of the new warehouse demonstrate its commitment to strengthening its U.S. manufacturing capacity. The assembly of its EOS M 290-1, EOS M 290-2, and EOS M 400-4 systems will receive a boost, while EOS has also created more space for a dedicated powder handling area and an in-house machine shop. It is expected that EOS will now be better equipped to meet increasing customer demand and reduce delivery times. The company has also created ten new jobs at the Pflugerville production site, including operations, quality assurance, engineering, and machine commissioning functions.

“Our Texas expansion enables us to scale North American metal AM assembly with both precision and consistency,” said Kent Firestone, SVP of Operations, EOS North America. “From optimising our production areas to onboarding new team members, every step has been carefully designed to accelerate turnaround times while maintaining the quality and reliability our customers expect from EOS.”   

“This expansion demonstrates our continued commitment to support the resurgence of American manufacturing,” added Glynn Fletcher, president of EOS North America. “This manufacturing facility is not just an investment in our own infrastructure; it is also about standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the U.S. manufacturing community to provide products and services for a superior customer experience. It demonstrates our dedication to the growing U.S. markets where our technology is in greatest demand. We fully understand the criticality that AM plays in the future of domestic manufacturing, and this expansion ensures EOS will continue to play a leading role for years to come.” 

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Ralph Lauren Invests in Domestic Fashion as U.S. Manufacturing Job Market Shrinks

Ralph Lauren and the Council of Fashion Designers of America is widening its financial commitment to domestic apparel production as new economic data underscore just how fragile American fashion manufacturing has become.

This week, the CFDA announced two new grant programs aimed at stabilizing and modernizing U.S.-based fashion manufacturing, extending its support well beyond New York City for the first time. The move comes as fresh analysis from Deloitte shows that apparel and textile manufacturing remain among the fastest-declining segments of the U.S. industrial economy, even as policymakers push to reshore production.

The first initiative, the CFDA x NY Forward Grant Fund, is a city-focused effort developed with funding from the New York State Department of State and Ralph Lauren Corp. It will provide partially matching grants to designers and manufacturers operating in New York City’s Garment District, an area that has steadily lost factories and skilled labor over the past two decades.

The second program, the U.S. Fashion Manufacturing Fund, represents a broader national expansion. Also created with Ralph Lauren as a founding partner, the new fund will operate from 2027 through 2029 and support manufacturers across key apparel-producing regions including California, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Florida. The program is structured to cover 80 percent of eligible investments, with recipients contributing the remaining 20 percent, and is designed to help manufacturers upgrade machinery, adopt advanced software, and invest in workforce training.

Rather than attempting to recreate the labor-intensive apparel sector that once defined American manufacturing, the CFDA is directing capital toward higher-value, technology-enabled production that can survive within a dramatically changed global economy.

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“Strengthening American manufacturing to ensure designers have local partners has long been at the core of CFDA’s mission,” Steven Kolb, chief executive officer and president of the CFDA, said in a statement. “We are proud to extend our decade-plus work with Ralph Lauren Corp. and expand to a national level while also continuing our local NYC investments alongside our first-ever partnership with the New York State Department of State.”

Ralph Lauren Corp. has been a central financial backer of the CFDA’s manufacturing efforts since 2013, when the organization launched its Fashion Manufacturing Initiative in partnership with the New York City Economic Development Corp. and industry executive Andrew Rosen. To date, Ralph Lauren has contributed $2 million as the initiative’s premier underwriter, enabling grants to 54 factories and supporting more than 2,000 jobs.

“Our expanded partnership with the CFDA reflects Ralph Lauren’s enduring commitment to advancing innovation and supporting American fashion,” said Katie Ioanilli, chief global impact and communications officer at Ralph Lauren Corp. “This is not only an investment in our industry — it’s an investment in a vital part of American culture that we share with the world.”

The renewed focus on modernization and training arrives as long-term economic trends continue to weigh heavily on apparel production. According to Deloitte’s Economics Insider series, real gross value added in U.S. manufacturing has grown at an average annual rate of 1.5 percent since 2000, compared with 2.1 percent growth across the broader economy. Manufacturing’s share of U.S. economic output stood at 9.4 percent in the second quarter of 2025, down from 15.1 percent 25 years earlier.

Within that contraction, apparel and textiles have been hit particularly hard. Deloitte data show that output in textile mills and textile product manufacturing has declined by an average of 2.9 percent per year since 2000, while apparel, leather, and allied products have fallen by an average of 2.2 percent annually. Employment losses have been even steeper, with apparel payrolls shrinking at an average rate of 6.8 percent per year over the same period.

By contrast, capital-intensive manufacturing sectors such as computer and electronic products have posted strong output growth, reinforcing a reality that CFDA leaders appear to be acknowledging: future domestic fashion manufacturing will depend less on scale and more on specialization, automation, and advanced skills.

The structure of the new grant programs mirrors that shift. Both funds are explicitly designed to help companies modernize equipment, expand technical services, and train workers in advanced production methods rather than increase headcount alone. The CFDA x NY Forward Grant Fund will distribute two rounds of funding in 2026 and 2027, with one manufacturer in each round also receiving the Ralph Lauren Manufacturing Award, which covers the full grant amount in recognition of innovation.

Ralph Lauren

New York State remains a focal point. In 2024, the state’s fashion industry was responsible for approximately $25 billion in wages, with New York City accounting for roughly $20 billion annually. Statewide, fashion employs about 315,000 people, including 204,000 jobs based in the city.

Ralph Lauren has also continued to anchor portions of its own production domestically, particularly through its role as Official Outfitter of Team USA. The company manufactures parade ceremony uniforms in the United States, including the opening and closing ceremony looks for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games, work that has supported multiple American factories.

When asked about the potential for expanding U.S. production further, the company said, “We continue to explore and build additional opportunities to manufacture our products in the U.S. We value the wide range of production solutions that U.S. manufacturers can offer, from heritage craftsmanship to high-tech manufacturing like 3D printing. However, increasing domestic manufacturing is a complex process that requires ongoing collaboration across our sector, from how we collectively source raw materials to increasing existing domestic factory capacity to talent availability.”

The company added, “Working with factories across the country, we produce hundreds of thousands of products across all of our brands in the U.S.”

Deloitte’s analysis suggests that this kind of selective, high-value domestic production is likely to define the sector’s future. While tariffs and trade policy have renewed political interest in reshoring, the firm notes that manufacturing growth now hinges more on skilled labor, automation, and productivity than on sheer employment. As of September 2025, U.S. manufacturing payrolls totaled 12.7 million workers, down from 17.2 million in 2000, even as productivity has risen sharply.

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