Throughout 2025, Arkansas has consistently won economic development projects, bringing new capital investment and jobs to the Natural State. Companies have been drawn to Arkansas because of the available real estate, workforce and the state’s affordability.
Every corner of Arkansas has notched wins, including rural communities across the state. These towns provide all the advantages of doing business in the Natural State – just in smaller, tightly knit communities.
Companies have grown existing operations or located new facilities in rural parts of the state because they have discovered that there is a thriving workforce that wants to work, along with welcoming communities that want companies to thrive.
Following are some of the major wins that have been announced in 2025 in rural Arkansas communities
Google – West Memphis
Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the top stories of 2025, and eastern Arkansas will be home to one of Google’s new facilities that will help power the AI revolution.
Google executives joined Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to announce a $4 billion investment in West Memphis, Arkansas in October 2025. Google will be building its new state-of-the-art data center to support the company’s AI innovation.
Set on more than 1,000 acres in West Memphis, the campus will include a data center facility, office buildings, a substation facility and other infrastructure. In total, the project will create hundreds of operations jobs and thousands of construction jobs in the region.
“Google is investing in the next generation of AI innovation in Arkansas and across the country,” said Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google. “We see AI and the energy powering it to be the innovations that will define this century. The upside of AI cannot be unlocked without the energy it requires. That is why Google is building energy capacity that protects affordability for ratepayers and creates jobs that will drive the AI-powered economy.”
Green Bay Packaging – Morrilton
After operating in Conway County, Arkansas for decades, Green Bay Packaging began looking to expand its operations in the rural county. It launched Project PowerPack to make key investments that would upgrade its manufacturing operations and add new jobs.
Established in 1965, the Arkansas Kraft Paper Mill produces high-quality liner board that is used in corrugated materials. With Project PowerPack, Green Bay Packaging is investing more than $1 billion to enhance the mill’s infrastructure, which is expected to double current production capacity.
“This is a historic project for the River Valley and for Arkansas,” said Conway County Judge Jimmy Hart. “And getting it done took a creative and historic level of regional partnership. I want to thank my fellow county judges and mayor for establishing a new standard of regional cooperation. Today’s announcement is proof that brave partnership and leadership pay off.”
This investment will create 35 new jobs, boosting Green Bay Packaging’s existing workforce of 620 employees in Conway County.
Weyerhaeuser – Monticello/Warren
In June 2025, Weyerhaeuser broke ground on its new state-of-the-art TimberStrand facility near Monticello and Warren, Arkansas. Weyerhaeuser is investing $500 million in the facility, which will produce a laminated strand lumber for use in single- and multi-family wood frame construction.
This investment is the continuation of a long partnership between Weyerhaeuser and the State of Arkansas that dates back decades. The company operates a lumber mill in Dierks, a plywood and veneer plant in Emerson and a seedling nursery in Magnolia, as well as maintaining multiple offices in the state.
“We primarily do business in small rural locations all across the U.S. and that dynamic is one of the reasons we're still in business. Frankly, it's one of the things that makes this company special, and that couldn't be truer with our operations here in Arkansas,” said Devin W. Stockfish, Weyerhaeuser president and CEO.
“We've been in Arkansas since the mid-1950s. This is a great place to do business at the state level. At the local level, we've had wonderful engagement across the board all the way from the Governor's Office, the local community, the state legislature and the federal government.
The reason we're sitting here today in Monticello, Arkansas, and not somewhere else is because of that support and that engagement.”
With this investment, Weyerhaeuser will be creating 200 new jobs in these rural southeastern Arkansas communities.
Hybar – Osecola
Northeastern Arkansas is rapidly becoming a hub for the U.S. steel industry. Mississippi County in northeast Arkansas is the top steel-producing county in the nation and is home to U.S. Steel, Nucor and Zekelman Industries facilities.
One up-and-coming steel company is making significant investments in Mississippi County, creating new opportunities in the rural county.
Hybar opened its new scrap metal recycling steel production mill in November 2025. It is the latest milestone for the company, which has also completed a behind-the-meter solar and battery storage electrical energy facility and a Mississippi River port operation. In total, the company has invested nearly $1 billion in Arkansas.
“I’ve had the privilege of being involved with more than $8 billion of greenfield steel mill projects in Mississippi County over the past 12 years,” said Dave Stickler, Hybar’s CEO. “I can confidently say that Arkansas is not only a great place to do business, but it is a really, really great place to do steel business.”
Hybar chose Arkansas because of its strategic location on the Mississippi River and because of onsite BNSF rail connection and proximity to highway networks. Hybar’s decision to do business in Arkansas was also motivated by the state’s affordable utility rates – in addition to using renewable energy, the company executed a special-rate electrical power contract with Entergy Arkansas.
Nidec - Mena
On the western side of Arkansas, Nidec has operated in Mena since 1966, producing U.S. MOTORS brand stock and custom electric motors with a specialty in manufacturing large vertical and horizontal motors for the movement of liquids. The company has steadily grown and employs approximately 400 workers at the Mena facility.
In September, Nidec announced an investment of more than $19 million to expand the facility, adding 61,000 square feet of space to support growth. As a result, the company will be creating 35 new jobs in Mena.
“This significant investment in our plant in Mena marks a milestone in our growth as a manufacturer of electric motors. We’ve essentially outgrown our facility, and the new space we add will allow us to expand not only our manufacturing capabilities but also our testing labs and to improve the experience for customers who visit the location,” said Claudemir dos Santos, Nidec Global ACIM COO and VP of Operations for North America and Latin America.
CANTEX Inc. – Nashville
In 2023, the City of Nashville, Arkansas was hit with unfortunate news: one of the largest employers, Husqvarna, was planning to close their operations in the community. The loss of the company created an opportunity to find a new long-term corporate partner.
State and local partners began working to market Nashville and the existing facility to attract a new company. These efforts paid off in 2025.
CANTEX, Inc., a leading manufacturer of electrical conduit, chose to invest in Nashville and acquire the former Husqvarna facility. CANTEX will be investing $120 million to make significant upgrades and adding equipment to the facility. Ultimately, the company will be creating 110 new jobs in Nashville.
“We are excited to expand our footprint in Nashville, Arkansas,” said CANTEX Inc. President Dave Merker. “This property will enable us to better serve our customers and support our long-term growth strategy. We look forward to integrating this new manufacturing facility into our operations and leveraging its potential to drive innovation and excellence. We’re also thrilled to work alongside the State of Arkansas and the City of Nashville as we invest in the region’s future and create new opportunities together.” T&ID
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