Manufacturing momentum accelerates into the second half of 2026
Recent activity includes:
- Job announcements and capital investment are rebounding sharply after months of plateauing, with 78,117 jobs and nearly $70 billion in capital investment announced over the trailing 12 months—year-over-year increases of 46.6% and 108.3%, respectively.
- Defense and AI & energy infrastructure continue to drive the bulk of new activity, together accounting for 69% of jobs announced over the last 12 months, with Saronic Technologies' $3.2 billion Brownsville facility leading a wave of recent announcements that also includes SpaceX, Janicki Industries and Electra.aero.
- Texas has captured more of the latest manufacturing wave than any other state, with 24,615 jobs and nearly $30 billion in capital investment announced over the last 12 months.