USA Rare Earth has started construction on a $1.2 billion magnet manufacturing facility in Blacksburg, South Carolina, approximately 45 minutes west of Charlotte. The project is expected to create 490 jobs and represents a major new advanced manufacturing investment in the region’s industrial base.
The Blacksburg facility will produce magnets and refined metals intended to serve a wide range of end users. According to the company, output from the plant will support demand across defense, aerospace, semiconductor, medical, artificial intelligence, energy and advanced manufacturing industries. These uses position the project within several critical supply chains that rely on consistent access to specialized magnetic materials.
USA Rare Earth selected Blacksburg based on several operating considerations. The company cited power availability, access to an appropriate labor pool and the project’s construction timeline as key selection factors. Duke Energy has indicated that it can meet the facility’s power requirements, addressing one of the primary infrastructure needs for this type of heavy industrial operation.
The planned building will total 800,000 square feet. USA Rare Earth expects to have the building shell completed by 2027, with full operations targeted to begin in April 2028. This construction and ramp-up schedule establishes a multi-year development and occupancy timeline for the property.
Trammell Crow is serving as the project’s developer. Clark Construction and Frampton Construction have been engaged as general contractors, and McMillan Pazdan Smith is the architect. Together, these firms are responsible for delivering the large-scale industrial facility to meet USA Rare Earth’s specialized manufacturing requirements.
USA Rare Earth will lease the facility under a 20-year agreement, establishing a long-term occupancy commitment at the site. The lease structure also allows the company two options to extend the term, each for an additional 10 years, which could lengthen the tenancy well beyond the initial commitment period.
This will be USA Rare Earth’s second manufacturing facility. The company already operates a plant in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and the new South Carolina location will expand its production footprint while adding new capacity to serve multiple high-technology and industrial sectors.
