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Solar Tracker Manufacturer Nextracker Boosts Manufacturing with 1.2 GW Factory in Memphis
Solar tracker manufacturer Nextracker has taken a significant step to enhance its production capacity in the United States by establishing a 1.2 GW factory in Memphis, Tennessee.
This new facility will specialize in manufacturing Nextracker’s steel torque tubes and will play a crucial role in supporting the company’s ongoing projects across several states, including Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, and Georgia. With the establishment of this factory, Nextracker anticipates the creation of 129 new job opportunities.
To bring this endeavor to fruition, Nextracker joined forces with MSS Steel Tubes USA, a joint venture between Portuguese industrial firm Metalogalva Group and Brazilian steelmaker Soufer Group. MSS Steel Tubes USA invested $6 million in renovating an idle industrial building to facilitate Nextracker’s new production line.
Founder and CEO of Nextracker, Dan Shugar, highlighted the significance of this development, stating, “This is what energy security looks like: New manufacturing jobs using American-made steel to produce affordable clean energy. Customers are seeking domestic, low-carbon technologies like solar power.”
Nextracker revealed that their new factory, a joint endeavor between Metalogalva and Soufer, will manufacture tubes using predominantly U.S.-sourced raw steel coils provided by Big River Steel and Steel Dynamics. Both companies utilize low-carbon electric arc furnace technology in their steel production processes.
In addition to the factory announcement, Nextracker also shared that Silicon Ranch, a utility-scale solar developer, is expanding their supply agreement with Nextracker from 1.5 GW to an impressive 4.5 GW. Silicon Ranch CEO Reagan Farr expressed how the Memphis plant will aid in maintaining their flawless track record of successful project delivery and reducing the carbon footprint in their supply chain.
Over the past year, Nextracker has made strategic investments to bolster domestic manufacturing capacity, ensuring support for their U.S. clientele.
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