A wood reel carries fiber optic cable manufactured by AFL. (Photo: Business Wire)
A $50 million-plus investment will enable the company to increase production capacity to meet rising demand for fiber optic cable.
DUNCAN, S.C.—AFL, a manufacturer of fiber optic cables and connectivity products and equipment, reported in March an investment of more than $50 million to expand its fiber optic cable manufacturing operations in South Carolina. The investment aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Internet for All initiatives to increase broadband access in the United States, AFL said in a release.
Besides creating new jobs at AFL’s manufacturing facilities, the investment will support AFL’s portfolio of products that are compliant with the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA). It builds on AFL’s previous investment of more than $35 million in the expansion of domestic cable manufacturing to support broadband deployment and modernization of the power grid. Both expansions are said to continue AFL’s “four-decade long commitment to job creation and U.S. manufacturing,” the company said in the release.
“This expansion highlights AFL’s commitment to providing an end-to-end BABA compliant cable and connectivity portfolio for our valued U.S. customers and represents a significant milestone toward AFL’s ongoing contribution to a stronger, more connected future for all communities across the country,” said AFL President and CEO Jaxon Lang, in the release.
The expansion will enable AFL to increase production capacity to meet the surging demand for fiber optic cable. It will support the company’s development of innovative and sustainable fiber optic cable products, while also strengthening its commitment to using U.S.-made materials and supporting the domestic supply chain, according to AFL.
Headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina, AFL is an international manufacturer that produces fiber optic cable and hardware; transmission and substation accessories; connectivity, test, and inspection equipment; fusion splicers; and outside plant equipment. The company also offers services that support data center, enterprise, wireless, and outside plant applications.