Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAOI) recently broke ground on a new 210,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Sugar Land, Texas, signaling a significant expansion for the company. The facility is expected to involve an increased investment from the initially planned $150 million to potentially $300 million by the end of next year. Furthermore, the company has committed to creating 500 local jobs related to the programming of AOI’s automated production lines.
Dr. Thompson Lin, AOI’s founder, president, and CEO, stated that the expansion project is intended to support the growing needs of the industry and customers, positioning AOI as one of the largest domestic suppliers of optical transceivers for the AI and datacenter industry.
Dr. Stefan Murry, AOI’s CFO and chief strategy officer, highlighted the significance of Texas in positioning itself as a leader in AI. He emphasized the company's pride in expanding its US footprint, manufacturing capacity, and bringing new jobs to Sugar Land.
The event was attended by representatives from the city, including Mayor Carol McCutcheon, as well as officials from Fort Bend County and members of the project team, including contractors and construction managers.
The press release did not include specific financial metrics or changes in the company's performance since the last period. As a result of these announcements, the company's shares have moved 0.11% on the market, and are now trading at a price of $37.04. For more information, read the company's full 8-K submission here.
