Consultants Forum Advertise
Subscribe
Area Development Magazine Current Issue

  • Free for qualified executives and consultants to industry

  • Receive quarterly issues of Area Development Magazine and special market report and directory issues

Subscribe Now
Renew

Area Development

US Conec Plans Hickory, North Carolina, Manufacturing Operations

10/24/2026
Optical interconnect manufacturer US Conec Ltd. plans to expand its operations in Hickory, North Carolina. The more than $149.7 million project is expected to create 224 jobs in Catawba County.

The investment will include the equip and upfit of a 221,000-square-foot facility, located at the Catawba Commerce Center in the Fairgrove Business Park, that will support manufacturing, research and development, administrative operations and distribution to meet growing demand for optical connectivity components.

“The support of our state leaders for US Conec's expansion is great news for North Carolina, for Catawba County, and for our industry,” said US Conec President Tracey Horton. “The expansion will create highly skilled jobs, enhance US Conec's manufacturing capabilities in Catawba County and help meet growing demand driven by deployments of advanced computing infrastructure. We appreciate the attractive environment North Carolina has created for advanced manufacturing and look forward to continuing to invest in our team, our operations, and the communities where we work.”

To support the project, a performance-based grant of $500,000 from the One North Carolina Fund has been awarded. The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require matching participation from local governments, and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

“This expansion is more great news for our innovation economy and the advanced computing supply chain in Catawba County,” noted North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Investments like these help position rural communities to compete for high-demand industries as it attracts global companies that will create more jobs and increase resiliency."

In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), other partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions, the North Carolina Community College System, Catawba Valley Community College, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, Catawba County, the City of Hickory and the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation.

“US Conec is truly one of our community's most technologically advanced companies, and the level of design, engineering and quality behind its products stands out across our region," added Catawba County EDC Board of Directors Chair Jeff Cline. "That makes a highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce a critical part of this expansion. We look forward to working closely with the teams at US Conec and with our education and workforce partners to develop, retain and recruit the talent the company will need for the future.”

US Conec specializes in the design, development and manufacturing of high-density optical interconnect components and connectivity solutions. The company supplies products for data centers, advanced computing infrastructure, telecommunications networks, enterprise networking, circuit board interconnects and industrial and military applications.

Recent Project Announcements

Area Development Magazine Q2 2026

Current Issue | Q2 2026

Exclusive Research

Magazine

Issues
Area Development Magazine Q2 2026
Q2 2026

Receive quarterly issues of Area Development Magazine at no charge for qualified executives and consultants to industry.