AeroVironment (AV) has announced the establishment of FreedomWerx, a new manufacturing facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company, which specializes in autonomous and intelligent multi-domain systems, chose the location because of its access to key transportation hubs, optimizing logistics and supply chain efficiencies. The project is anticipated to create 500 new jobs for the surrounding area. According to the company, AV’s distributed production model enhances national security by ensuring resilient manufacturing and sustained delivery of mission-critical autonomous systems. The new 200,000-square-foot plant will help strengthen the company’s capacity to provide uninterrupted delivery of precision-strike autonomous systems to government and defense partners. Production at the plant is expected to begin in the second half of 2025.

What people are saying

In a recent quote, Wahid Nawabi, AV chairman, president, and CEO, said, “AeroVironment’s autonomous precision-strike systems have revolutionized modern warfare, providing warfighters with the ability to neutralize high-value threats with unprecedented accuracy while minimizing risk to friendly forces. This facility represents a critical step in our mission to expand manufacturing capacity, ensuring our forces have the technological superiority needed to deter and, if necessary, decisively defeat adversaries.”

Ryan Starks, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, added, "Utah is the ideal hub for advancing aerospace and defense technologies that are vital to national security and economic growth. Strategic investments like this create jobs, accelerate innovation, and reinforce Utah’s leadership in aerospace and defense. Supporting companies like AV strengthens our state’s economy while driving cutting-edge advancements in the industry."

Manufacturers investing in Utah

Nucor invests $200M to open utility structures manufacturing plant in Utah
Nucor is currently building two utility structures production facilities in Decatur, Alabama, and Crawfordsville, Indiana.

Food and beverage packaging company invests $92 million to expand plant in Utah 
Ya YA Foods has been awarded a post-performance tax reduction by the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. 

Central States Manufacturing begins construction on $10 million production plant in Utah
The plant, which will span over 100,000 square feet, will be Central States’ 12th facility, and the company will hire 90 new employees to work at the facility.

Investing in American manufacturing in 2025

This map shows where manufacturers are choosing to invest their resources, whether they are building new production facilities or expanding existing plants.