Industrial Electric Mfg. plans to build a $200 million, 1 million-square-foot manufacturing facility at Brooks in San Antonio, creating 3,000 jobs by 2030. The California-based company’s expansion will add manufacturing, engineering, logistics and corporate support positions and includes a $3.36 million Texas Enterprise Fund grant tied to 448 jobs.
Key Takeaways
- IEM plans to invest $200 million in a new San Antonio facility at Brooks.
- The 1 million-square-foot plant is expected to employ 3,000 people by 2030.
- Jobs will include manufacturing, engineering, logistics and corporate support positions.
- IEM received a $3.36 million Texas Enterprise Fund grant tied to 448 jobs.
- The facility will manufacture power distribution and control systems for multiple industries.
IEM Plans $200 Million San Antonio Factory
Industrial Electric Mfg. plans to expand its operations to San Antonio with a $200 million manufacturing facility at Brooks and expects the project to employ 3,000 people by 2030.
The California-based company plans to build a 1 million-square-foot plant on San Antonio’s South Side. The facility will be developed in phases, with the company planning to add workers across manufacturing, engineering, logistics and corporate support.
IEM’s planned investment includes a manufacturing operation focused on power distribution and control systems. The company’s products serve a range of industries, including technology and energy.
The project was announced Aug. 25, 2026. IEM said the San Antonio location will support its expansion and its ability to provide power distribution solutions designed for individual customer requirements.
IEM CEO Clayton Such said the company selected San Antonio because of its workforce, infrastructure and economic development environment. He also said the facility will strengthen IEM’s domestic supply chain and support deliveries to customers across North America.
The project has received state support through the Texas Enterprise Fund. IEM was awarded a $3.36 million grant tied to 448 of the new jobs planned for the facility.
Brooks Facility Will Cover 1 Million Square Feet
The planned Brooks facility will contain 1 million square feet of manufacturing space. IEM plans to construct the plant in phases rather than opening the entire facility at once.
The company has not released construction and hiring timelines beyond its expectation of reaching 3,000 employees by 2030. The planned positions cover several areas of the operation, including manufacturing, engineering, logistics and corporate support.
The size of the facility will give IEM additional production capacity in Texas. The company manufactures electrical distribution and integrated control systems and provides engineering, design, manufacturing and support services.
IEM describes itself as the largest independent full-time manufacturer of electrical distribution and integrated control systems in North America. Its operations include plants and offices in several U.S. locations and in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
IEM has a field service office in Plano, Texas. The San Antonio project will add a manufacturing operation to IEM’s existing Texas presence.
IEM has added more than 3 million square feet of product development and manufacturing space and invested $300 million over the past five years, according to information included in the project announcement.
The company’s planned San Antonio facility will add to that manufacturing footprint while giving IEM another location for production and related operations.
San Antonio has also attracted other large manufacturing investments, including a major expansion at the Toyota Texas manufacturing plant.
Project Targets 3,000 San Antonio Jobs by 2030
IEM expects the San Antonio factory to employ 3,000 people by 2030. The planned workforce will include positions in manufacturing, engineering, logistics and corporate support.
The project was described by Greater:SATX as the largest job-producing investment in the San Antonio region in more than 20 years. The planned employment figure makes workforce development a central component of the project.
The positions will support different parts of IEM’s manufacturing operation. Manufacturing workers will be involved in production, while engineering positions will support the company’s technical work. Logistics and corporate support positions will provide additional functions for the facility.
Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai said the project aligns with the county’s long-term economic goals and will create new opportunities for local residents.
The planned workforce expansion also places the project among major manufacturing investments announced for the San Antonio area. IEM’s decision adds another industrial employer to the region while establishing a large production facility at Brooks.
The company has not announced the specific hiring schedule for the 3,000 positions. The jobs are expected to be added over the period leading to 2030 as the facility is developed in phases.
Texas Enterprise Fund Grant Supports IEM Expansion
The state of Texas awarded IEM a $3.36 million Texas Enterprise Fund grant connected to 448 of the new jobs planned for the San Antonio project.
The Texas Enterprise Fund is a state economic development program used to provide financial support for qualifying business expansion projects. The grant connects a portion of the planned employment to the state’s economic development assistance.
The 448 jobs associated with the grant are part of the 3,000 positions IEM expects to create at the San Antonio facility.
Greater:SATX Regional Economic Partnership President and CEO Sarah Carabias Rush said the project reflects San Antonio’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, workforce and economic development efforts.
Bexar County also supports the expansion. Sakai said the IEM investment aligns with the county’s long-term economic goals and will create additional opportunities for residents.
IEM CEO Clayton Such said San Antonio’s workforce and infrastructure contributed to the company’s decision to establish the new operation in the city.
The combination of private investment, planned employment and state economic development support forms the central financial structure of the project. IEM is providing the $200 million investment, while the Texas Enterprise Fund grant provides $3.36 million tied to a portion of the planned jobs.
IEM Manufacturing Serves Technology and Energy Industries
IEM manufactures power distribution and integrated control systems used across several industries. Its customer base includes companies in technology, health care and energy, among other fields.
The company’s products also serve data-center developers. IEM provides electrical distribution systems and related engineering and manufacturing services for technology infrastructure.
San Antonio’s planned facility therefore will produce equipment that can be used in power-intensive industries as well as other sectors requiring electrical distribution and control systems.
Texas has at least 335 operating data centers, according to the information included with the project, making the state the second-largest data-center market in the country. The Austin-San Antonio region has more than 3,000 megawatts of data-center electricity capacity, based on figures cited in the project material.
The data-center industry has also brought increased attention to electricity infrastructure in Texas. On Aug. 3, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to audit data centers seeking connections to the state’s power grid.
IEM’s San Antonio expansion is connected to that infrastructure through the company’s manufacturing of power distribution and control systems. The new plant will provide additional production capacity for the equipment IEM supplies to technology and other industries.
The state has also changed its approach to large electricity users through new data center grid connection rules, which affect how major power users move through the ERCOT interconnection process.
IEM’s San Antonio facility will manufacture equipment used by customers that require electrical distribution and control systems, including technology companies and data-center developers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will IEM build its new San Antonio factory?
IEM plans to build the facility at Brooks on San Antonio’s South Side. The planned plant will cover 1 million square feet.
How much will IEM invest in the San Antonio facility?
IEM plans to invest $200 million in the San Antonio manufacturing facility. Construction will take place in phases.
How many jobs will the IEM factory create?
IEM expects the facility to employ 3,000 people by 2030. The planned jobs include manufacturing, engineering, logistics and corporate support positions.
What products will IEM manufacture in San Antonio?
The facility will manufacture power distribution and integrated control systems. IEM supplies these systems to industries including technology and energy.
How much is the Texas Enterprise Fund grant for the project?
IEM received a $3.36 million Texas Enterprise Fund grant tied to 448 of the new jobs planned for the San Antonio facility.
