Business

For San Antonio residents, a newly announced manufacturing project at Brooks could mean far more than another large building on the Southeast Side. Industrial Electric Mfg., better known as IEM, plans to invest $200 million in a new production facility that could eventually employ thousands of people while adding another major manufacturer to the region’s growing industrial economy.

The 1-million-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility at Brooks City Base is expected to create up to 3,000 jobs by 2030 across manufacturing, engineering, logistics and corporate support. Regional economic development officials have described it as the single largest job-producing investment secured for the San Antonio area in more than two decades.

The project also brings a company with considerable scale to San Antonio. IEM’s corporate materials describe a business with more than $1 billion in annual sales, more than 10,000 commissioned projects, 15 core product categories with numerous custom variations and operations at 14 locations across the United States and Canada.

What IEM Will Manufacture in San Antonio

IEM builds the electrical systems that help control and distribute power inside some of the country’s most complex facilities.

Its equipment is used in technology and data centers, hospitals and life-sciences facilities, commercial developments, energy and utility projects, industrial plants, public infrastructure and other settings where dependable electrical distribution is essential. The company says its systems have been used in projects ranging from stadiums to space centers.

Its product lineup includes low- and medium-voltage switchgear, switchboards, automatic transfer switches, panelboards, power distribution units, remote power panels, utility metering equipment, unit substations and custom electrical assemblies. IEM also provides startup, commissioning and field-service support for electrical distribution systems.

That technical work is increasingly important as sectors including data centers, advanced manufacturing, health care and energy require larger and more sophisticated electrical infrastructure.

The new San Antonio plant is intended to increase IEM's U.S. manufacturing capacity, strengthen its domestic supply chain and help reduce the time between customer orders and deliveries.

“IEM is excited to put down roots in San Antonio,” IEM Chief Executive Officer Clayton Such said. “The city’s skilled workforce, strong infrastructure and collaborative economic development environment made this a natural choice for our next phase of growth. This facility will strengthen our ability to deliver highly engineered, customer-specific power distribution solutions that industries, from healthcare to energy, advanced manufacturing, and more, depend on every day. The investment also will strengthen IEM's domestic supply chain and support deliveries for customers across North America."

Development of the facility is expected to occur in phases, with additional construction and hiring timelines to be announced.

From a California Ranch to a Billion-Dollar Power Systems Business

Although IEM may be unfamiliar to many San Antonio residents today, the company has been manufacturing electrical equipment for more than 75 years.

Its story began in a barn on a family ranch in Fremont, California, before expanding alongside the emerging Silicon Valley technology industry.

According to IEM's corporate history, the company moved into a 12,000-square-foot facility in 1957, expanded to 70,000 square feet by 1980, 105,000 square feet by 2003 and 135,000 square feet by 2013. Its growth increasingly centered on designing customized electrical distribution systems for complex commercial and industrial customers.

Today, IEM describes itself as North America's largest independent full-line manufacturer of electrical distribution and integrated control systems.

Its corporate brochure reports more than 10,000 projects commissioned across technology and data centers, commercial real estate, energy, utilities, health care, industrial manufacturing and infrastructure. The company says its approach centers on custom engineering at scale — designing systems around individual project requirements rather than relying only on standardized equipment.

The San Antonio operation will complement IEM's existing North American manufacturing presence in Fremont, California; Jacksonville, Florida; and Surrey, British Columbia.

Including the San Antonio project, IEM says it has invested approximately $300 million and added more than 3 million square feet of product development and manufacturing space during the past five years as demand for its electrical systems has increased.

Up to 3,000 San Antonio Jobs by 2030

For residents across San Antonio and Bexar County, the employment potential may be the most immediate part of the announcement.

IEM expects the Brooks facility to eventually support up to 3,000 jobs by 2030, with positions anticipated in manufacturing, engineering, logistics and corporate support.

That breadth matters because the project is not centered on a single type of occupation. A large-scale electrical equipment plant requires production employees as well as engineers, quality-control teams, supply-chain and logistics workers, technicians and administrative staff.

The State of Texas has also extended IEM a $3.36 million Texas Enterprise Fund grant associated with the creation of 448 jobs.

“Texas leads America's manufacturing resurgence,” Gov. Greg Abbott said. “This investment by IEM in San Antonio will create new, good-paying jobs and generate a significant economic impact for Bexar County. Advanced manufacturers invest and expand in Texas because of our welcoming business climate, easy access to domestic and global markets, and highly skilled and growing workforce.”

Why the Brooks Location Matters for Southeast San Antonio

IEM's decision also adds another chapter to the ongoing redevelopment of Brooks, the former Brooks Air Force Base on San Antonio's Southeast Side.

The property has steadily transitioned from a military installation into a mixed-use employment and development center that includes health care, education, housing, retail and commercial activity. The arrival of a large advanced manufacturer adds another economic sector to that transformation.

Sarah Carabias Rush, president and CEO of greater:SATX Regional Economic Partnership, called the project a major regional economic-development win.

“IEM's decision to establish operations in Greater San Antonio is a transformational investment and a testament to what can be accomplished when regional partners work together to compete and win,” Rush said. “This is the single largest job-producing investment in more than two decades for our San Antonio region, reflecting both the scale of opportunity here and the strength of our workforce, advanced manufacturing ecosystem, and collaborative approach to economic development. We are excited to welcome IEM and look forward to supporting the company's long-term growth in Greater San Antonio."

The investment also fits into a broader San Antonio economy that already includes significant automotive, aerospace, technology and industrial operations.

IEM adds a somewhat different piece to that landscape. Instead of manufacturing a finished vehicle or aircraft, the company makes part of the electrical infrastructure that allows data centers, hospitals, factories, utilities and other major facilities to operate.

Its corporate materials emphasize that its products are designed and tested for demanding environments, with systems built to industry standards established by organizations including UL, ANSI, IEEE and NEMA.

Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai said the investment aligns with the county's longer-term economic goals.

"Bexar County is focused on creating an environment where employers can grow, invest, and create opportunity for our residents," Sakai said. "IEM's investment reflects the type of advanced manufacturing project that aligns with our long-term economic goals, and I am proud to support the company's decision to establish operations in Bexar County. Driven by a strong partnership between the County, State of Texas, greater:SATX and Brooks City Base, this project will continue to create new opportunities for our residents and strengthen our economy for years to come."

What Happens Next for IEM’s San Antonio Facility

For residents searching for IEM jobs in San Antonio, the most important details are still ahead.

The company has not yet released a complete construction schedule, hiring calendar or comprehensive list of San Antonio job openings. Development is expected to occur in phases, with construction and employment timelines to be announced in the coming months.

That means the $200 million announcement marks the beginning of a multi-year project rather than an immediate arrival of all 3,000 projected jobs.

Still, the potential community impact reaches beyond the plant itself. A manufacturing operation of this scale can generate demand for suppliers, contractors, workforce training, transportation and logistics services while bringing additional workers and economic activity to businesses around Brooks and southeast San Antonio.

IEM also already operates a Texas field-service location in Plano, according to its corporate materials, meaning the San Antonio project will expand an existing company presence in the state rather than establish its first Texas operation.

For a company that began in a barn on a California family ranch and grew into a billion-dollar North American electrical equipment manufacturer, San Antonio represents another major step in that expansion.

For the community receiving the investment, the next milestones will be more local: when construction begins, when hiring opens and how many of the projected jobs ultimately take root in San Antonio.

My Neighborhood News will continue following the IEM San Antonio manufacturing facility as construction and additional project details are announced.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.