It’s just business: manufacturing moves from CK Snacks, Wilcox Industries, Hudson Motor Co. and more

Expansion: Lumentum, an optical and photonics manufacturer, announced March 26 that it would establish a new factory in Greensboro, North Carolina to produce lasers for use in AI data centers. The 240,000-square-foot-site was purchased from Qorvo, the company said, without disclosing a price for the transaction. The facility will be used to produce indium phosphide (InP) optical devices, Lumentum said, including to NVIDIA, which will serve as a customer for the new factory as a part of existing strategic agreements.

Acquisition: CK Snacks, a.k.a. Cheeze Kurls, LLC, will acquire Keystone Food Products, according to a March 25 statement. CK Snacks, a manufacturer of popcorn and extruded cheese snack products, did not disclose how much it paid for Keystone, which specializes in corn chips, corn tortilla chips, baked and fried snacks, party mixes and other snack products. In a company statement, CK Snacks said the acquisition would help compete for a broader U.S. range of customers. Jamie Colbourne, CK Snacks’ CEO, said the acquisition would also build out the company’s geographic reach as well as its product variety.

Expansion: Dupon USA recently announced it would build a new ice cream ingredients factory near Columbus, Ohio, according to local news source ABC 6. The Belgium-based manufacturer’s $33 million, 175,000-square-foot factory will produce baked wafers and cookies for ice cream manufacturers and create 28 local jobs. In a statement, Dupon USA CEO Dick D’Hoore said the site would be well-positioned to support the company’s partner customers.

Partnership: Wilcox Industries announced March 30 that it would form a joint venture with Ukrainian drone company General Cherry to build first-person view and interceptor drones in Wilcox’s New Hampshire factories. According to a LinkedIn post from General Cherry, the deal is subject to approval from Ukraine’s President and other “relevant authorities.”

Expansion: Hudson Motor Company announced March 30 it had formally been re-incorporated as Hudson Motor Company, Inc., and said it planned to resume manufacturing of trucks, SUVs, and passenger cars in the United States. According to a company release, the revived auto brand is currently looking at potential U.S. manufacturing sites and vehicle concepts. David Barnard, the company’s founder, says his company plans to focus on internal combustion engine-powered vehicles and a factory-direct sales model.