Major Expansion by Prysmian to Bring Jobs and Investment to North Carolina
Prysmian, a global leader in energy and digital connection solutions, has unveiled plans to significantly boost its operations in Catawba County, North Carolina. The company is set to introduce 385 new jobs and invest over $1 billion to enhance its fiber and glass manufacturing capabilities.
“This billion-dollar investment is more proof that North Carolina is leading the way on innovation and job creation,” remarked Governor Josh Stein. “Companies understand the value of our highly skilled manufacturing workforce that helps to power their strategic growth.”
Founded in 1879, Prysmian has grown into one of the largest manufacturers of cable and fiber globally, with operations in more than 100 plants across six continents. In North America, the company boasts over 50 locations and employs 9,000 people. The expansion at its Claremont facility will focus on integrating a new glass production facility and upgrading existing buildings to double fiber optic manufacturing capacity, adding an impressive 975,000 square feet to its footprint.
“This investment demonstrates our commitment to supporting the growth of the U.S. demand for advanced digital solutions,” said Andrea Pirondini, CEO of Prysmian North America. “We are one of just three U.S. manufacturers of fiber and optical cables, and now we are committing more than a billion dollars to new innovative solutions and transformational capacity growth.”
With the expansion, the average annual salary for new positions is expected to be $60,870, surpassing the average salary in Catawba County of $56,937. This could lead to a substantial payroll impact of over $23.4 million annually for the region.
Prysmian’s expansion is supported by a performance-based grant of $1 million from the One North Carolina Fund. This fund aids local governments in attracting economic investments and job creation. Companies receive no upfront money and must meet specific job creation and investment targets to qualify for payments. Prysmian will need to invest $665 million to receive the OneNC grant payments, with matching local government participation required.
“This expansion is a testament to Catawba County’s ability to support innovative companies,” noted N.C. Senator Mark Hollo. “We know that Prysmian could have made this major investment anywhere in the world, but they chose our community because of our well-equipped workforce and commitment to training that will help them to get to market quickly.”
The collaboration for this project includes the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the North Carolina General Assembly, Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions, the North Carolina Community College System, Catawba Valley Community College, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, Catawba County, the City of Claremont, and the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation.
Headquartered in Highland Heights, Ky., Prysmian North America is at the forefront of creating energy and digital connection solutions. The company is involved in major electrical transmission projects, power grid modernization, and the promotion of renewable energy and electrification. With more than 50 locations and 9,000 associates, Prysmian’s North American sales reached $9 billion. Globally, the company employs 34,000 people, operates 109 production facilities, and runs 30 research-and-development centers across more than 50 countries. Prysmian is publicly traded on the Italian stock exchange and reported 2025 revenues of approximately $23 billion.
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