Rowan County, North Carolina, is emerging as one of the Southeast’s strongest locations for artificial intelligence supply chain operations, combining advanced manufacturing capacity, logistics access, workforce availability, and proximity to one of the nation’s fastest-growing technology corridors. Located along the I-85 corridor between Charlotte and the Piedmont Triad, Rowan County has quietly positioned itself as a strategic hub for companies supporting the infrastructure behind AI, cloud computing, advanced networking, digital logistics, and data-driven technologies.
That momentum became clear with the announcement that Jabil selected Rowan County for a major advanced manufacturing operation supporting cloud and AI data center infrastructure customers. The project will create 1,181 jobs and involve an investment expected to reach approximately $500 million over several years. The company is occupying the former Gildan facility in Granite Industrial Park, transforming an existing legacy industrial asset into a next-generation manufacturing operation focused on AI-related hardware and infrastructure.
The significance of the Jabil announcement extends beyond the scale of the investment. The project reinforces Rowan County’s growing role in the broader AI ecosystem. While much of the public conversation around artificial intelligence focuses on software platforms and data centers, the physical infrastructure supporting AI growth has become equally important. AI requires enormous computing power, advanced cooling systems, networking hardware, supply chain coordination, warehousing, and precision manufacturing. Rowan County offers the industrial platform necessary to support those operations.
Jabil executives specifically pointed to accelerating demand for complex AI hardware and advanced networking systems as drivers behind the expansion. The company’s decision also reflects confidence in Rowan County’s workforce, infrastructure, and ability to support advanced manufacturing at scale. Average wages associated with the project are expected to exceed $62,000 annually, creating opportunities for skilled manufacturing, engineering, logistics, and supply chain professionals.
The county’s AI-related momentum continued with the recent announcement that Google signed a long-term lease for a nearly 730,000-square-foot logistics and warehousing facility in the Overlook 85 Industrial Park in Kannapolis, located in Rowan County. The facility will support Google’s supply chain operations and logistics functions connected to its broader technology infrastructure. Local officials emphasized that the operation is not a data center but rather a major logistics and warehousing hub supporting Google’s growing operational footprint.
At the same time, Rowan County is also seeing growth in the cloud computing and digital infrastructure sectors. Flexential and Edged Energy are both advancing plans for major cloud computing and storage facilities in the county, further strengthening Rowan County’s position within the expanding AI economy. These projects represent the next generation of digital infrastructure investment, bringing together power capacity, advanced cooling technologies, fiber connectivity, and large-scale computing environments designed to support AI workloads, cloud services, and enterprise data operations.
The addition of cloud and storage infrastructure complements Rowan County’s emerging strength in advanced manufacturing and logistics. Together, these investments are helping create a more complete AI ecosystem where hardware manufacturing, data processing, logistics distribution, and digital infrastructure can operate within the same regional supply chain. Few mid-sized communities are successfully attracting activity across all these segments simultaneously, giving Rowan County a competitive advantage as AI investment continues accelerating nationwide.
Google’s investment further validates Rowan County as a strategic location for AI-related supply chain activity. As AI adoption accelerates across industries, technology companies increasingly need efficient logistics networks capable of supporting rapid deployment of servers, networking equipment, cooling systems, and related infrastructure. Rowan County’s central East Coast location provides access to major population centers, ports, interstate highways, and freight networks that allow companies to move products quickly and efficiently throughout the eastern United States.
“Artificial intelligence is reshaping the global economy, but behind every AI platform is a physical supply chain that requires advanced manufacturing, logistics, energy infrastructure, and workforce capacity,” said Rod Crider, president and CEO of the Rowan EDC. “Rowan County is uniquely positioned to support that growth because we offer the industrial infrastructure, strategic location, and business climate companies need to scale quickly. The announcements by Jabil, Google, Flexential, and Edged Energy validate that Rowan County is becoming an important part of the AI economy.”
Transportation and logistics advantages remain one of Rowan County’s strongest assets. The county sits directly on Interstate 85, providing immediate connectivity to Charlotte, Atlanta, Richmond, and the broader East Coast market. Interstate 40, Interstate 77, and the Piedmont Triad logistics network are all within close reach. Charlotte Douglas International Airport, one of the nation’s busiest cargo and passenger airports, is less than an hour away. The region also benefits from rail access, inland port connectivity, and proximity to major seaports in Wilmington, Charleston, Norfolk, and Savannah.
For AI supply chain operations, speed and reliability are essential. Rowan County’s infrastructure allows companies to distribute products efficiently while maintaining access to both suppliers and customers. This combination of logistics connectivity, available industrial product, and expanding digital infrastructure has become increasingly difficult to find in many larger metropolitan markets where land availability, permitting challenges, and rising costs limit expansion opportunities.
Rowan County also offers an industrial ecosystem that aligns well with the needs of advanced technology manufacturers, cloud infrastructure operators, and logistics companies. The community has a long history of manufacturing excellence spanning advanced manufacturing, food processing, logistics, automotive supply chains, and industrial production. Companies locating in Rowan County gain access to a workforce familiar with industrial operations, production environments, technology systems, and supply chain management.
Workforce development partnerships further strengthen the county’s competitiveness. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College plays an important role in preparing workers for advanced manufacturing and technical careers through customized training programs and industry partnerships. North Carolina’s broader manufacturing and technology workforce ecosystem also remains a significant advantage, with the state frequently ranking among the nation’s top business and manufacturing locations.
Cost competitiveness is another important factor driving Rowan County’s growth. Compared to larger technology markets, Rowan County offers lower operating costs, available industrial buildings, lower utility costs, and a cost of living below the national average. Those advantages help companies scale operations more efficiently while also improving workforce recruitment and retention.
The announcements involving Jabil, Google, Flexential, and Edged Energy demonstrate that Rowan County is no longer simply competing for traditional manufacturing projects. The county is attracting investment connected to some of the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy. AI infrastructure, cloud computing, logistics technology, advanced manufacturing, and digital storage operations are reshaping industrial development patterns nationwide, and Rowan County is proving it can compete successfully for those opportunities. For companies seeking a strategic location tied to the future of artificial intelligence infrastructure and supply chain operations, Rowan County is increasingly positioned as one of the Southeast’s most compelling destinations.
