The Daily Dig
FANUC America has announced a $90 million investment to acquire property and construct a new 840,000 square foot facility in Michigan. The project is designed to provide production-ready space for the potential expansion of the company's existing U.S.-based robot manufacturing capabilities.
The facility is targeted for completion in late 2027 and is expected to add 225 jobs once operational. It will support growing demand for automation solutions across North America, including physical AI, virtual commissioning, and digital-twin technologies.
The announcement builds on a sustained run of domestic investment. Since 2019, FANUC America says it has committed nearly $300 million across multiple U.S. facilities, bringing its total American footprint to 3 million square feet and creating more than 700 jobs.
FANUC America's Michigan presence is not new. The company has been producing robots for paint application domestically for more than 40 years, and the new facility expands on that established base.
Alongside the facility announcement, FANUC America confirmed that the newly expanded FANUC Academy will open in Auburn Hills, Michigan later this year. The company describes it as the largest robotics and automation skills-development center in the United States, aimed at addressing the national manufacturing skills gap.
Project Snapshot:
Company: FANUC America
Investment: $90 million
Facility Size: 840,000 sq. ft.
Location: Michigan (specific city not disclosed)
Project Type: New construction facility
Sector: Robotics and automation manufacturing
Scope: Property acquisition and facility construction
Purpose: Production-ready space for potential expansion of existing U.S.-based robot manufacturing
Target Completion: Late 2027
Jobs Created: 225 (projected)
Total U.S. Investment Since 2019: Nearly $300 million
Total U.S. Footprint: 3 million sq. ft. (upon completion)
Total U.S. Jobs Created Since 2019: 700+
Related Project: Newly expanded FANUC Academy, Auburn Hills, MI (opening later this year; described as largest robotics and automation training center in the U.S.)
Key Technologies Supported: Physical AI, virtual commissioning, digital-twin technologies
TheJobWalk Thoughts
At 840,000 square feet, this is a sizable general construction and fit-out opportunity. The late 2027 completion target means design and procurement activity is likely already underway or imminent. Michigan-based GCs, structural steel subs, mechanical and electrical contractors, and industrial fit-out specialists should be positioning now, not waiting on a public bid announcement.
The automation training angle matters for the broader trades. As robotics become standard on manufacturing floors, the labor and maintenance workforce around those systems shifts, and that eventually touches commissioning, startup, and facility support contracts. Subcontractors working in industrial environments should be tracking where automation skills are being developed and what those facilities require.
