Electrical wire manufacturer Southwire is expanding its operations at its Mississippi facility as part of a $256 million investment to add roughly 380,000 square feet to the location’s footprint.

Expansion of the Starkville Plant, acquired by Southwire in 1989 from U.S. industrial and mining company Phelps-Dodge, is part of a companywide modernization commitment exceeding $2 billion, according to a release. Following an initial expansion in 2010, this latest announcement marks the second expansion on the Starkville campus, creating 128 new jobs through the addition of an onsite distribution center.

The expanded facility will support Southwire, a wire and cable solutions provider across North America, and its subsidiaries in delivering critical electrical solutions, including building wire and cable, metal-clad cable, utility products and portable cables. In June, Southwire also expanded its commitments to improve its environmental footprint across its value chain, targeting cuts in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 54.8% and Scope 3 emissions by 30% under its 2025 and 2032 sustainability frameworks.

“This expansion represents another meaningful step in Southwire’s long-term strategy to modernize our operations, strengthen our manufacturing footprint and continue delivering exceptional service to our customers,” said Southwire’s President and CEO Ganesh Ramaswamy in a statement. “Starkville has been an important part of Southwire’s story for decades, and this investment reflects our confidence in the team, the community and the opportunities ahead as we continue building for the future.”

Construction is slated to begin in late 2026, with full operational capacity anticipated to come online in 2028. According to Rohan Kelkar, Southwire’s executive vice president of power and industrial, this overall modernization positions the Starkville Plant for long-term growth amid rising demand driven by electrification, market growth and data center expansions.

“It is an exciting time for our industry, for Southwire and for our team in Starkville as we continue strengthening our ability to support growth across North America and best serve our customers,” Kelkar added.