Siemens Mobility announced it will expand its manufacturing footprint by building a $220 million advanced manufacturing and rail services facility in Lexington, N.C.

The facility will create more than 500 new jobs, according to Siemens Mobility's news release.

“America’s investing in rail – and we are investing in America,” said Dr. Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens AG. “Siemens has invested $3 billion in manufacturing expansions and M&A activities in the U.S. over the past four years alone, including nearly $400 million to grow its U.S. manufacturing footprint and over two and half billion dollars in strategic U.S. acquisitions. This latest facility will build rail technology to help transform the everyday for millions of passengers around the country, particularly as the country sees a resurgence in public transit and intercity travel.”

The passenger coach manufacturing factory will be on a 200-acre site allowing for future facility expansion. When it starts operations in 2024, it will incorporate some of the latest technologies found in the Sacramento facility including robotic welding, 3D printing, and Virtual Reality welder training. In addition, when fully operational the facility will be carbon neutral.

"Leading global companies like Siemens Mobility continue to choose North Carolina to build the next generation in innovative clean transportation,” said Gov. Roy Cooper. “Thanks to our state’s skilled workforce, and the proven education and training systems that help people maintain and build those skills, North Carolina is the number one state for manufacturing.”  

Lexington is in Davidson County and home to nearly 20,000 people. It is located in the Piedmont Triad. Siemens Mobility will be receiving a Job Development Investment Grant from the state of North Carolina. Over the 12-year term of this grant, the facility is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $1.6 billion.

Lexington’s sister site will be the 60-acre, solar-powered, rolling stock facility in Sacramento, which has been manufacturing vehicles for more than 30 years and has delivered more than 3,000 locomotives, passenger coaches, and light rail vehicles.

The Buy America-compliant vehicles are built by 2,500 employees in Sacramento, with the support of American suppliers across 40 states. More than 40 transit agencies across the U.S. and Canada benefit from Siemens Mobility’s portfolio of light rail vehicles, locomotives, passenger coaches, components, and automation systems, moving millions of passengers every year.