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Apple to build made-in-the-USA manufacturing plant in Arizona

Creating more than 2,000 jobs and running on 100 percent renewable energy, the tech giant embarks on building a new US manufacturing facility.

Dara Kerr Former senior reporter
Dara Kerr was a senior reporter for CNET covering the on-demand economy and tech culture. She grew up in Colorado, went to school in New York City and can never remember how to pronounce gif.
Dara Kerr
2 min read
Phil Schiller showing off the Mac Pro, which will be made in a Texas manufacturing facility. James Martin/CNET

Apple executives have been talking about creating more manufacturing jobs in the US for the past year, and on Monday the company put its money where its mouth is.

The iPhone maker announced that its newest US manufacturing facility is slated to be built in Mesa, Ariz. Apple aims to create thousands of jobs and run the facility on 100 percent renewable energy.

"We are proud to expand our domestic manufacturing initiative with a new facility in Arizona, creating more than 2,000 jobs in engineering, manufacturing, and construction," Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet told CNET. "This new plant will make components for Apple products and it will run on 100 percent renewable energy from day one, as a result of the work we are doing with SRP to create green energy sources to power the facility."

According to Arizona's governor's office, the facility will employ 700 people and will create 1,300 construction and management jobs. Besides the manufacturing facility, Apple is also building a solar power grid to fuel the plant, according to 9to5Mac.

Arizona's governor, Jan Brewer, welcomed the news. "Apple is indisputably one of the world's most innovative companies and I'm thrilled to welcome them to Arizona," the governor said in a statement (PDF). "Their investment in renewable energy will also be greening our power grid, and creating significant new solar and geothermal power sources for the state."

Last December, Apple CEO Tim Cook made some waves when he announced that the company was moving some Mac production to the US. He said that Apple was investing $100 million in the venture.

Since this announcement, Apple has unveiled plans to open a manufacturing facility in Texas and an AppleCare repairs facility in Pennsylvania, according to 9to5Mac.

It's unclear what device Apple will be making at the Arizona plant. Although, given Cook's announcement last year, most signs point to a product in the Mac family. Apple said last month that it will build its new Mac Pro at the Texas facility.