WNC News -- October 26, 2026: Today, Governor Josh Stein announced that US Conec Ltd., a global leader in high-density optical interconnects, is set to expand its operations in Catawba County. The company plans to invest more than $149.7 million to construct a state-of-the-art facility in Hickory, creating 224 new jobs for the area.
“North Carolina companies appreciate the advantages of operating in our state,” said Governor Josh Stein. “US Conec’s decision to expand here validates the strength of our manufacturing base, our skilled talent, and our stable business climate.”
Headquartered in Hickory since 1992, US Conec designs, develops, and manufactures high-density optical interconnect components utilized globally across advanced computing infrastructure, enterprise networks, telecommunications networks, circuit board interconnects, and military and industrial applications.
Expansion and Facility Details
The project includes:
The construction of a 200,000-square-foot facility dedicated to advanced manufacturing, research and development (R&D), administrative operations, and distribution.
Enhanced manufacturing capabilities to meet growing global demand driven by advanced computing infrastructure deployments.
“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 Tracey Horton, president of US Conec. “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.”
Economic Impact and Wages
New Positions: 224 roles, including engineers, technicians, operators, and support personnel.
Average Salary: The annual average wage will be $56,982, exceeding Catawba County's current average wage of $56,937.
Annual Payroll: An anticipated local payroll impact of more than $12.7 million each year.
“This expansion is more great news for our innovation economy and the advanced computing supply chain in Catawba County,” said N.C. 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.”
Funding and Community Partnerships
A performance-based grant of $500,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will support the expansion. The OneNC Fund assists local governments in attracting economic investments and job growth. Companies receive no funding upfront and must meet established job creation and capital investment benchmarks to receive disbursement, with local matching funds required.
Local leaders shared their support for the announcement:
Senator Mark Hollo: “This is another great win for Catawba County and the entire State of North Carolina. US Conec has been a great corporate citizen and we stand ready to support the company in this next phase of growth.”
Representative Jay Adams: “We welcome these new jobs and investment to Hickory. We appreciate the diligent work of the state and local officials as well as the economic development professionals that helped the company make this decision.”
Key partners collaborating on the project include the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the North Carolina General Assembly, the Commerce 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.