At the core of investment promotion lies the ground-level task of landing greenfield FDI projects. And the success of promotion efforts can only really be measured – and the impact felt – when shovel hits dirt and ground is broken on a new corporate facility; or alternatively when new hires are made and fresh money is pumped in to expand an existing operation.

In its first ever Projects of the Year awards, fDi Magazine has set about recognising the best wins for economic developers in jurisdictions around the world. The awards highlight which locations landed the best greenfield investments in 2012, whether it was a regional headquarter investment by Google or a large-scale production facility bringing several thousand new jobs. Read on for the full results. 

Methodology

The division of the Financial Times in which fDi Magazine sits, fDi Intelligence, owns a database which tracks crossborder greenfield investment covering all sectors and countries worldwide. The online database, fDi Markets, tracked more than 16,000 greenfield projects last year. In determining the winners of the fDi Projects of the Year 2012, the editorial team of fDi Magazine assessed this vast pool of projects to identify those worthy of special notice. There was not a numerical methodology applied, but rather a judgement was made about which projects stood out as significant in a global sense. In some cases, this was due to large job creation numbers; in others it was because a project was in a high-value-added sector or involved advanced skills levels; or the investment was highly sought after by many locations, because of its value or the prestige of the company making the investment. The most important factor considered was impact on the jurisdiction winning the investment, in terms of economic development.

Winning projects were selected in a range of sectors, from aerospace to renewable energy, and from a range of business activities, from R&D to distribution centres. The overall list of project winners includes both new investments and expansions, but there is also a separate category for best expansions due to the increasing importance of expansions as a proportion of global FDI and because of what a reinvestment suggests about investor satisfaction with a location. While other sector or business activity categories were restricted to only winners and runners-up, the 'Best Production Facilities' list includes 25 notable projects, because of the sheer number of these types of projects worldwide.

The criteria for projects was that they be crossborder greenfield investments that were announced or took place during 2012. Interstate investments in the US were included.

BEST AEROSPACE PROJECTS

Winner: Airbus’s aerospace park in Tunisia

Aircraft and component manufacturer Airbus, a subsidiary of Netherlands-based EADS, is planning to expand its site in the Mghira suburb of Tunis, Tunisia, to accommodate an aerospace park, creating 1500 jobs by its completion in 2015. The TD120m ($77.7m) investment will have a range of manufacturing, design and R&D facilities, as well as upgraded training facilities.

Runner-up: Airbus’s first US plant in Alabama

Airbus will open its first US-based production facility in Mobile, Alabama. Aircraft assembly of the A320 aircraft will begin in 2015 and the facility will create 1000 new jobs. The plant will produce between 40 and 50 aircraft per year by 2018 and will serve the US market.

BEST BIO-PHARMA PROJECTS

Winner: Quintiles’ regional headquarters in Shanghai

US-based Quintiles is to establish a regional headquarters for China in Shanghai and significantly expand its lab testing capabilities. To provide the infrastructure essential for its growth strategy in China, Quintiles is investing $14m to establish a new 4000-square-metre headquarters in Shanghai to serve China and nearby Asian countries. The office in Feng Lin Science Park is expected to accommodate more than 450 employees by 2017. 

Runner-up: Roche’s research centre in New York  

Switzerland-based pharmaceutical and diagnostics company Roche is to establish a translational research centre at the Alexandria Center for Life Science in New York City. The facility will create 240 jobs, and will lead the company's global early development programmes and clinical trials when it opens in the fourth quarter of 2013. The company recently closed its New Jersey headquarters and the new facility will allow Roche to retain a base on the US east coast.

BEST HEADQUARTERS PROJECTS

Winner: Rocket Crafters’ relocation to Florida

Utah-based Rocket Crafters, a developer of advanced hybrid rockets, will invest $72m to relocate its headquarters to a 37,160-square-metre facility in Titusville, Florida. The new facility will create 1300 new jobs and will contain the company’s headquarters, R&D labs, and manufacturing and assembly operations. Rocket Crafters was awarded a Florida Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund and workforce incentives.

Runner-up: Google’s expanded EMEA headquarters in Dublin

US-based web giant Google is to expand its Europe, Middle East and Africa headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, creating 1000 jobs. The company acquired additional office space in the city in the Montevetro building, which will house the extra employees in conjunction with the company's existing offices. Google currently employs 2000 people in the Irish capital.

BEST HIGH-VALUE PROJECTS

Winner: Apple’s new corporate campus in Texas

California-based computer and software maker Apple plans to invest $304m in a new campus in Austin, Texas, creating more than 3600 new jobs. The campus will support the company's growing operations in the Americas with expanded customer support, sales and accounting functions for the region. In exchange for Apple's commitment to create these new jobs in Texas, the state has offered the company an investment of $21m by 2022 through the Texas Enterprise Fund.

Joint runner-up: Deutsche Telekom’s development centre in Wuhan

Germany-based Deutsche Telekom, a telecommunications company, has opened a new global development centre in Wuhan, China. It is to focus on the development of core technologies, including vehicle telematics, cloud computing and air traffic technology. Deutsche Telekom's new centre, costing €40m, is expected to employ 1000 workers by 2014.

Joint runner-up: eBay’s development centre in Bangalore

US-based eBay, a global commerce platform, will open a new development centre in Bangalore, India. The opening will result in 1000 technologists being hired by mid-2015 and will house staff from both eBay Marketplaces and PayPal.

BEST JOB CREATION PROJECTS

Winner: Beiqi Foton Motor’s auto plant in Cameroon

China-based commercial vehicle manufacturer Beiqi Foton Motor has signed an agreement with the government of Cameroon to invest $500m in a plant in Kribi. The factory will commence operations in July 2013, with an annual production capacity of 5000 trucks and vans. The first phase of the plant will focus on assembling auto parts imported from China. Local raw materials from the Mbalam iron ore project will be used extensively in the second phase. The factory is expected to create 8000 jobs.

Runner-up: Sinoma International Engineering’s cement plant in Nigeria

China-based Sinoma International Engineering has opened a cement factory in Nigeria, in a joint venture with Nigeria-based Dangote Cement, with a total investment of $1bn. The plant, with an annual production capacity of 6 million tonnes, could generate 7000 direct jobs and is the largest cement plant in sub-Saharan Africa.

BEST LOGISTICS PROJECTS

Winner: PCH International’s distribution centre in Shenzhen 

Ireland-based PCH International, a product development and supply chain solutions company, expanded its services with a new 27,000-square-metre facility in the Futian Free Trade Zone, Shenzhen, China, in mid-2012. The project is creating 1500 new jobs and will serve the global market. 

Runner-up: Herbalife’s distribution centre in North Carolina
California-based nutrition company Herbalife is investing $106.5m to open a new 69,675-square-metre east coast distribution facility in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, by June 2013. The opening will create 493 jobs by 2015 and will receive economic incentives of $10m from the state, $2m from the city and $1m from Forsyth County.

BEST MED-TECH PROJECTS

Winner: Medtronic’s expansion in Montreal

Medtronic CryoCath, a subsidiary of US-based Medtronic, will invest C$50m ($49.8m) to expand its research, training and manufacturing operations in Montreal, Canada. The project will create more than 200 jobs and will be supported by C$15m from the government of Quebec.

Runner-up: Covidien’s R&D centre in Colorado

Ireland-based medical device producer Covidien has opened a new 5850-square-metre R&D centre in Boulder, a city in the US state of Colorado. The centre, one of 24 operated by the country worldwide, houses 160 employees and includes 18 laboratories.

BEST NATURAL RESOURCES PROJECTS

Winner: Imperial Oil’s $8.9bn investment in Alberta

Imperial Oil, a subsidiary of US-based energy giant ExxonMobil, plans to expand its Kearl Oil Sands project in the Canadian province of Alberta. The $8.9bn expansion will increase the annual production capacity at the project from 145,000 to 255,000 barrels of crude oil per day by 2015. The company will undertake further debottlenecking activities to increase capacity to an expected 345,000 barrels per day by 2020.

Runner-up: Goldcorp’s $3.9bn gold and copper project in Chile

Canada-based mining company Goldcorp plans to invest $3.9bn to construct a mine and related infrastructure at its El Morro gold and copper project in the Huasco region of Chile. Over its 17-year mine life, El Morro is expected to produce an average of more than 210,000 ounces of gold and 200 million pounds of copper per year for Goldcorp. The company will operate the mine as a 70-30 joint venture with Canada-based New Gold.

BEST OUTSOURCING PROJECTS

Winner: Sutherland Global Services’ BPO campus in the Philippines

US-based business process outsourcing and IT-enabled services major Sutherland Global Services is to open a new integrated technology and BPO campus in Carmona in Cavite, Philippines. The company, a subsidiary of the Sutherland Group, is investing $50m in the facility which can accommodate 8000 members of staff.

Joint runner-up: Sutherland Global Services’ delivery centre in Jamaica

Sutherland Global Services is establishing a global delivery centre at the Mona Campus of the West Indies University in Kingston, Jamaica, where it will train students in call-centre operations. The delivery centre is expected to generate up to 3000 jobs. The business process outsourcing provider will recruit university students as consultants, while additional non-consultant positions will be filled up by other sections of Jamaica's workforce.

Joint runner-up: Infosys’s delivery centre expansion in Wisconsin

India-based IT outsourcing company Infosys is expanding its presence in the US with a new delivery centre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which was due to create 2000 jobs by the end of 2012. The facility will provide end-to-end technology, consulting and systems integration services, and will also house a training centre. The training centre will facilitate knowledge reuse and will provide education related to information technology operations and business processes. The centre will support clients in the mid-west region of the US.

BEST REAL ESTATE AND TOURISM PROJECTS

Winner: Rizzani de Eccher’s €1bn hotel plan for Russia

Italy-based developer Rizzani de Eccher plans to invest up to €1bn to build hotels in the North Caucasus region of Russia. The Russian government launched a scheme to turn the area into a regional tourist cluster in 2010, and the site is operated by Northern Caucasus Resorts. Rizzani de Eccher is likely to build hotels with a capacity of 10,000 rooms in the resort’s 2500-square-kilometres territory. The company is interested in building in the area due to the tax breaks on offer, which include possible exemption from property tax for 10 years and from land tax for five years. 

Runner-up: Emaar Properties’ real estate development in Egypt
United Arab Emirates-based Emaar Properties will develop a mixed-use leisure and entertainment project in Egypt. The Cairo Gate development, situated on 64 hectares of land on the highway between Cairo and Alexandria, will be implemented in an $820m joint-venture agreement with retail expert the Al-Futtaim Group, also originating from the UAE. The first phase of construction will entail 120,000 square metres of leasable space suitable for restaurants, cafes and leisure outlets, underpinned by Al-Futtaim brands such as Ikea and Marks & Spencer.

BEST REFINERY PROJECTS

Winner: Sasol’s cracker complex in Louisiana

South Africa-based chemical and energy company Sasol has announced plans to establish an integrated gas-to-liquids and ethane cracker complex in Louisiana, US. The investment, estimated to be worth between $16bn and $21bn, is expected to create more than 1250 direct jobs and an estimated 5800 indirect jobs. According to a study prepared by Louisiana State University, the complex will contribute $46.2bn to the local economy over the next 20 years.

Joint runner-up: Rio Tinto’s alumina refinery in eastern Australia

UK-based Rio Tinto, a metals and mining corporation, has completed the construction of a $2.45bn expansion of its Yarwun alumina refinery in eastern Australia, and has begun the process of ramping up to full production at some point in 2013. The expansion project will more than double production at the refinery to 3.4 million tonnes of alumina per year.

Joint runner-up: Qatar Petroleum’s oil refinery in Egypt

Qatar Petroleum International, the ethylene producer and subsidiary of Qatar Petroleum, will set up a new oil refinery in Cairo, Egypt. The $3.6bn facility will begin production in 2016, with the capability to produce 4.2 million tonnes of refined products and oil derivatives per year. Egypt-based Orient and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation will join Qatar Petroleum International as partners in this joint venture.

BEST RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS

Joint winner: Isofoton’s solar energy plant in Ecuador
Isofoton, a subsidiary of Spain-based Affirma, plans to build a $100m photovoltaic plant in Calderon, Ecuador. The plant will have a nominal power rating of 49.6 megawatts (MW) and a peak rating of 54.1MW, making it one of the largest in Latin America both in terms of size and production capacity. The benefit for the environment will also be substantial; it will generate 84.093MWs per hour of clean energy. It is the first and only photovoltaic plant to obtain a permit within the current Ecuadorian feed-in tariff system and will employ 500 construction workers. 

Joint winner: Enel’s wind farms in Bahia, Brazil
Italy-based power company Enel, through its local subsidiary Enel Brasil Participacoes, has started construction work on three wind farms in the Brazilian state of Bahia. The new wind farms, Cristal, Primavera and Sao Judas, are all located in the same area of inner Bahia state and will have a total installed capacity of 90 megawatts, enough to generate about 400 gigawatt hours of electricity a year once completed. The overall investment in the three wind farms amounts to approximately €166m.

Runner-up: Samsung’s wind turbine project in Scotland 
South Korea-based Samsung Heavy Industries has announced it is to base its first European offshore wind project in the Fife Energy Park in Methil, Scotland. The new venture will be worth £100m ($158.2m) and will create 500 new jobs. The site will consist of gear box assembly, nacelle and blade manufacturing facilities and will also be the test site for Samsung Heavy Industries’ new seven megawatt wind turbine. 

BEST SOFTWARE AND IT PROJECTS

Winner: YapStone’s regional headquarters in Ireland
US-based Yapstone, which provides mobile and internet payment solutions, has established its Europe, Middle East and Africa headquarters in Drogheda, Ireland, creating 120 jobs. Hiring has begun to fulfil the roles in customer support, R&D, software engineering, finance and accounting. 

Runner-up: IBM’s testing centre in Australia
US-based technology and IT consulting firm IBM is set to create up to 150 new technology jobs in Ballarat in the Australian state of Victoria. The company’s expansion at the Ballarat Technology Park will lead to the establishment of an IBM Asia-Pacific centre of excellence for software testing. The centre will create new jobs in software application development, application support, application management and consulting services. 

BEST AFRICA PROJECTS

Winner: Millicom subsidiary’s network expansion in Tanzania
Telecommunications company Tigo Tanzania, a subsidiary of Luxembourg-based Millicom International Cellular, is investing $100m to expand its network coverage and capacity in Tanzania. The investment will be used to install new base stations nationwide and enhance services, including internet provision, and will boost information and communications technology infrastructure in the country.

Runner-up: Lonza’s pharma plant in South Africa
Switzerland-based Lonza is investing $207.64m in Gauteng, South Africa, creating 2500 jobs. Lonza has entered into a joint venture with South Africa-based Pelchem to construct a pharmaceutical plant for the production of ingredients for antiretroviral medicines used in the treatment of HIV and AIDS. Construction will begin in 2013 and more than 2500 staff will be employed there after the plant is up and running in 2016.

BEST ASIA PROJECTS

Winner: Frost & Sullivan’s innovation centre in Malaysia
US-based Frost & Sullivan, a consulting company, has opened a global innovation centre of excellence in Iskandar, Malaysia. The centre will serve Frost & Sullivan's global operations and offices, providing opportunities for local employees to work on global projects, and it aims to have 830 new employees on site by 2020. The project is the result of a strategic collaboration with the Multimedia Development Corporation and Iskandar Investment Berhad. 

Runner-up: National Instruments’ expanded R&D hub in Malaysia
US-based measurement and automation products company National Instruments has announced plans to significantly expand its R&D centre in Penang, Malaysia. Once complete, Penang will host the company's largest R&D centre outside of its headquarters in Texas, and National Instruments plans to recruit 250 electrical, mechanical and engineering management staff by 2017. 

BEST EUROPE PROJECTS

Winner: Google’s data centre in Finland
US-based Google is to invest €150m to expand capacity at its data centre in Hamina, Finland. Construction work will last 18 months, and the expansion is being made due to rise in demand for online access to the company's video and data services such as YouTube and Gmail. 

Joint runner-up: Samsung’s R&D centre in France
Japan-based consumer electronics company Samsung has opened its first R&D centre in south-east France. It is located at the Sophia Antipolis technology cluster in the premises of UK chipmaker CSR. It will have 40 employees and will focus on mobile location technologies. 

Joint runner-up: Nissan’s plant expansion in the UK
Japan-based motor company Nissan is to invest £125m ($197.7m) in the expansion of its manufacturing plant in Sunderland, the UK, creating 400 direct jobs. The plant will initially produce approximately 100,000 units of a new compact car model, which is due to launch in the European market in 2013. In addition to vehicle assembly, axle production, cylinder head casting, camshaft machining and engine assembly will be carried out at the plant.

BEST LATIN AMERICA PROJECTS

Winner: UST Global’s IT services centre in Mexico
UST Global, a subsidiary of Kenya-based Comcraft Group, has announced that it is to set up an IT services and solutions facility in Leon, Mexico, to cater to the US, Mexican and Latin American markets. The company is to invest $100m to $150m in the facility, which is expected to employ as many as 10,000 staff by 2014 or 2015.  

Runner-up: Toyota Motor’s engine factory in São Paulo
Japan-based automotive giant Toyota Motor plans to expand in Brazil by building its first engine factory in the country to cater to the domestic market. The factory will be located in Porto Feliz, São Paulo, and will have an annual output capacity of 200,000 units. The plant is due to commence production in the second half of 2015 and will produce engines that run on gasoline blended with ethanol and gasoline for the Etios, a model designed especially for emerging markets, and the Corolla. 

BEST MIDDLE EAST PROJECTS

Winner: Digital Domain’s studio in Abu Dhabi
US-based special effects company Digital Domain is to open a studio in Abu Dhabi. The company will work with the United Arab Emirates government-backed media zone twofour54 to establish a 13,935-square-metre facility which will include an animation, visual effects and motion capture studio, and a media school. The complex is due to open in 2015, eventually employing about 500 people. The aim will be to produce animated feature films, visual effects and other content both for the region and for international productions.

Runner-up: Emerson Electric’s headquarter expansion in Dubai
US-based diversified technology company Emerson is to invest $33m in the expansion of its Middle East and Africa headquarters in Dubai. The 13,000-square-metre facility, located in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, will offer new distribution and testing facilities, assembly areas and offices when it is completed by the end of 2013. It will also house a consolidation of the company's Emerson Climate Technologies subsidiary.

BEST NORTH AMERICA PROJECTS

Winner: Roche’s expanded headquarters in Indiana
Roche Diagnostics, a subsidiary of Switzerland-based Roche Group, plans to invest in its North American headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, creating up to 100 jobs by 2017. The company will also invest $300m into the headquarters up until 2022 as part of the expansion plan. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered the firm up to $2m in conditional tax credits and up to $300,000 in training grants to facilitate the expansion.

Runner-up: IBM’s R&D initiative in Ontario
US-based technology giant IBM has combined with the governments of Canada and Ontario and a consortium of seven universities to establish a new Ontario-based $210m R&D initiative that will create 145 highly skilled jobs in Ontario. IBM will invest up to $175m in forming the IBM Canada Research and Development Centre to serve as a foundation for the research initiative. The government of Ontario is investing $15m and the government of Canada will contribute $20m towards the new centre.

BEST EXPANSIONS

Winner: Samsung’s $4bn boost to Texas plant

Samsung Austin Semiconductor, a subsidiary of South Korea-based Samsung, will invest $4bn to expand the capacity for cutting-edge logic production at its plant in Austin, Texas. The project is scheduled to initiate mass production within the second half of 2013 and will help capitalise on the surging demand for smartphones.

Runner-up: Intel’s R&D expansion in Arizona

California-based semiconductor chip manufacturer Intel is to expand its facility in Chandler, Arizona, with the addition of a 26,478-square-metre R&D facility, Fab 42, representing an investment of $300m. The facility will be located on the eastern side of the campus when it is completed in the second half of 2013, and will create 1000 jobs. The facility will focus on package development, which refers to the housing around a microchip to connect it to a computer board.

Honourable mentions

Chrysler in Michigan

Car and utility vehicle manufacturer Chrysler, a subsidiary of Italy-based Fiat, is to expand operations at its North Jefferson assembly plant in Detroit, Michigan, with the creation of 1100 jobs. The company is expanding its production to include a new diesel version of its Jeep Grand Cherokee for the North American market. The company is also adding a further 150 jobs with the reopening of its Conner Avenue manufacturing facility, also in the city, which manufactures the company's SRT Viper sportscar.

Chrysler in Illinois

Chrysler plans to add about 1800 jobs at its Belvidere, Illinois, plant. In 2012 it added a third crew and created 500 jobs specifically to work on the production of the Dodge Dart.

Austal in Alabama

Ship builder Austal USA, a subsidiary of Australia-based Austal, will add 1000 new jobs to its facility in Mobile, Alabama, as part of a new $5m project agreement. Under the terms of the five-year agreement, the company will receive industrial training services from the Alabama Department of Industrial Training. The new jobs will bring employment at the facility to 4600.

Mercedes-Benz in Alabama

German automaker Mercedes-Benz, a subsidiary of Germany-based Daimler, will add 1000 new production jobs to its facility in Vance, Alabama. The facility will be producing the new C-Class model and hiring for the production jobs will begin in 2014.

Ford in Spain

US-based automotive giant Ford has announced plans to expand its manufacturing operations in Almussafes, Spain, by 80% to 300,000 units per year. The new Kuga, a sports utility vehicle, forms part of the investment plan of €1.11bn in the plant.

Empresas CMPC in Brazil

Chile-based pulp exporter Empresas CMPC has approved a $2.1bn expansion of its Guaiba plant in Brazil's Rio Grande Do Sul state. The project consists of the construction and operation of a new bleached eucalyptus pulp production line, with a total capacity of 1.3 million tonnes per year. The second line is expected to begin producing pulp by the first quarter of 2015 and will increase pulp production capacity to 4.1 million tonnes per year.

Volkswagen in Spain

Germany-based automotive giant Volkswagen has announced plans to invest $1.02bn by 2017 at its Landaben plant in Pamplona, Spain. The majority of the investment will be spent on preparing the facility for the manufacture of the replacement for the current Polo car model.

Honda in Indonesia

Automobile manufacturer Honda Prospect Motor, which operates as a 51-49 joint venture between Japan-based Honda and Indonesia-based Prospect Motor, plans to invest $338.8m to build an additional plant on the site of its existing facility in Karawang, Indonesia. The new factory will have an annual production capacity of 120,000 units and create 2000 jobs when it opens in 2014. It will produce small-sized vehicles for the Asian market.

BEST PRODUCTION FACILITIES

Winner: Draexlmaier in Macedonia

Germany-based automotive electronics major Draexlmaier plans to invest €30m to establish a factory in Kavadarci, Macedonia. The new facility will employ 4000 people and will manufacture automotive components for Mercedes. Draexlmaier’s products include automotive electrical systems, interior components, and modules.

Runner-up: Mercedes-Benz in Hungary

Mercedes-Benz has expanded into eastern Europe with a new factory in Kecskemet, Hungary. The plant will offer 3000 new jobs and incur an investment of more than $1.06bn. It will make Mercedes-Benz's B-Class and produce 100,000 Mercedes-Benz vehicles a year. 

Honourable mentions

Higson Group in Serbia

Hong Kong-based sportswear specialist Higson Group plans to open a €4m factory in Zitoradja, Serbia. It will relocate between 10% and 15% of its production from Asia. The factory will employ about 500 workers in the first year of operations and a further 1000 to 1500 workers by 2014. The products will be exported to the EU, Russia and other countries with which Serbia has agreements on free trade.

Canon in Thailand

Japanese multinational Canon has announced the establishment of a new Thailand-based manufacturing company called Canon Prachinburi (Thailand), in Prachinburi. Located in Si Maha Phot in the province, the project represents an investment of Y15bn ($164.7m) and will create 1000 new jobs by the end 2013. Canon Prachinburi will manufacture digital multifunction office systems and service parts and undertake the moulding and mounting of parts. The facility has a total floor space of 72,300 square metres and sits on a 280,000-square-metre piece of land.

Volkswagen in Tianjin

Volkswagen China, a division of Germany-based automotive company Volkswagen, has broken ground on a new gearbox plant in Tianjin, China, in the Economic-Technological Development Area of the city. The new €900m plant will go on stream in the first half of 2014. The project will start by producing DQ380 gearboxes, with an annual capacity of 450,000 units. The first phase of the project will create more than 1500 direct employment opportunities. The plant will expand to produce DQ500 gearboxes while increasing the production of DQ380 gearboxes in the second and third phases.

Esquel in Vietnam

Hong Kong-based garment maker Esquel plans to invest $25m to establish an apparel factory at the Luong Son Industrial Zone in the Hoa Binh region of Vietnam. The initial phase will employ 3000 people and produce 7.2 million garments annually. The second phase of development is scheduled to be completed by 2017, at which stage the facility is expected to produce 11.52 million garments per year.

Baxter in Georgia, US

Illinois-based biologic medical therapies company Baxter is to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Covington, Georgia, to support growth of its plasma-based treatments. The company expects to invest $1bn in the plant by 2017 and create 1500 jobs. The site will include operations supporting plasma fractionation, purification, fill finish and a testing lab. Construction was due to begin in 2012 and commercial production is scheduled to start in 2018, with the new plasma fractionation facility adding up to 3 million litres of new capacity annually when fully operational.

Leoni in Vietnam

Germany-based Leoni, a provider of cables and cable systems to the automotive sector and other industries, plans to set up a plant in the metropolitan area of Hanoi, Vietnam, as part of an expansion into east Asia. The 20,000-square-metre plant will employ between 2000 and 3000 workers and require an investment of between €15m and €22m. It will serve General Motors' locations in South Korea and is expected to begin production in the first quarter of 2013.

Orascom in Iowa

Egypt-based Orascom Construction Industries plans to invest more than $1.3bn to construct a nitrogen fertiliser manufacturing plant, called Iowa Fertilizer, near Wever, Iowa. The new operation, which will supply ammonia and nitrogen fertilisers to mid-western farmers, will employ 160 staff when it opens in 2015.

Caterpillar in Georgia, US

Illinois-based Caterpillar plans to set up a new plant to produce small track-type tractors and mini hydraulic excavators near Athens, Georgia (US). The 92,905-square-metre facility will employ 1400 people and incur an investment of $200m. It will serve customers in North and South America and will also export partially assembled mini excavator base units to a facility in Europe to improve delivery times for European customers. Initial production is expected to begin in late 2013.

Honda in Indonesia

PT Astra Honda Motor, a joint venture of Japan-based Honda, is to establish a manufacturing facility at the Bukit Indah Industrial Park in the Cikampek district of Karawang, Indonesia, creating 3000 jobs. The $341.48m plant will have capacity to manufacture 1.1 million motorcycles annually when it comes online in late 2013. This is the company's fourth plant in the country, and brings total capacity from all four plants to 5.3 million units.

Yazaki in Bulgaria

Japan-based Yazaki, a global automotive equipment supplier, has built a new factory in the city of Sliven, Bulgaria, employing 500 people initially but growing to an estimated 1500 by 2013. The facility will produce wire harnesses for Ford vehicles with a capacity of about 4000 per year.

Bosch in Romania

German conglomerate Robert Bosch plans to build a plant in Jucu, Romania. The €60m factory will manufacture electronic components for automotives and create 2000 new jobs as a result. The company will install its production facilities on a 21-hectare area at the Tetarom III industrial park.

Furukawa in the Philippines

Furukawa Automotive Systems, a subsidiary of Japan-based Furukawa Electric, has established a new company, called Furukawa Automotive Systems Lima Philippines (FALP), based in Lipa, the Philippines. The 21,000-square-metre building is situated on a 51,000-square-metre site and will have 2500 employees by 2014. FALP will produce wire harnesses for automobiles and is scheduled to start operating in March 2013. The new company will serve mainly as a base for exports to Japan.

Bosch Rexroth in Changzhou

Bosch Rexroth, a specialist in the field of drive and control technologies operating as a subsidiary of Germany-based Robert Bosch, has set up a plant in the Wujin district of Changzhou, China. The 70,000 sq m facility will produce hydraulic, linear motion technology and pneumatics components and systems. It has provided work for 1200 people. The company has invested €83m into the plant as well as in the construction of an R&D centre starting in 2013. 

3M in Turkey

US-based 3M, a diversified technology company, is to establish a manufacturing plant in Corlu, Turkey, representing an investment of $500m. The plant will be the company's third ‘super hub' in Europe, and will create 1000 jobs. The facility will serve markets in the Middle East, north Africa and Europe.

Iran Garment in Egypt
The Tehran-based holding company Iran Garment plans to establish a small automobile manufacturing plant at the Beni Suef industrial zone in Beni Suef, Egypt. The company is also planning to construct a gas cylinder manufacturing facility in the country, investing a total of $1.5bn in the two projects and creating 3000 jobs.

HeidelbergCement in Togo
Germany-based HeidelbergCement, which provides cement, clinker and concrete products, is to establish a new clinker manufacturing facility in Tabligbo, Togo. The $250m facility will have annual capacity of 1.5 million tonnes when it is commissioned in 2015, and will provide clinker to the company's grinding mills in Togo, as well as in Benin, Ghana and Burkina Faso. The firm also plans to open another facility in the country, and together both facilities will create 200 jobs.                 

Olam International in Côte d'Ivoire
Singapore-based Olam International, a processor of agricultural products and food ingredients, has opened a new cashew processing plant in Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire. The new facility will employ 2400 people and is one of a number planned for west Africa. The company has also opened a dairy processing plant in Abidjan and plans to invest $200m in capital projects in the country by 2017.

Foster Electric in Vietnam

Japan-based Foster Electric has announced that it has opened a new manufacturing facility in Tinh Phong industrial park in Quang Ngai, Vietnam. The $8.3m plant is designed to have annual output of 480 million products, including electronic components and home appliances. It has created 1500 jobs and the number of employees at the factory is expected to increase to 4000.

Suzuki in Tianjin, China

Chongqing Changan Suzuki Automobile, an established joint venture between China-based Changan Automobile Company and Japan-based Suzuki Motor Corporation, is to construct its second plant in Tianjin, China. The new plant is to create approximately 3000 new jobs. The 92,000-square-metre plant, set on a 135-hectare plot in Banan District, will have an annual production capacity of 150,000 units. The construction will be finished in mid-2013, and production is planned to start in December.

Toyotain Bidadi in India

Toyota Kirloskar Motors, a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corporation and the Kirloskar Group, is setting up its third manufacturing plant for automotive components at Bidadi, India. The investment will create 150 jobs and is to cost the company Rs5bn ($93.9m). The company plans to manufacture 240,000 castings of petrol engine parts and 120,000 units of transmission units and machine parts. The company has sought an additional 6.88 hectares from the government, and will export 55% of the factory's output to Toyota’s Brazil facility, while the remaining 45% would be used for domestic consumption.

Star Transmission in Romania

Germany-based Daimler's subsidiary Star Transmission Cugir, a supplier of components for the automotive industry such as gears, shafts and other engine components, plans to build a production facility in Sebes, Romania. The factory will provide about 1000 jobs. A research centre will also be built near the city.

Renault-Nissan in Brazil

Automotive major Renault-Nissan Motors, part of France-based Renault, has announced plans to build a new automobile factory in Brazil. The $1.5bn plant will be located in Resende and is scheduled to start production in the first half of 2014. The plant will have a production capacity of 200,000 cars per year and will produce vehicles adapted for Brazilian consumers’ needs. It will create 2000 direct jobs.

Yazaki Group  in Cambodia

Japan-based Yazaki Group has opened a new factory for automotive wire harnesses in Cambodia. From Cambodia, the company is to supply its products to the Thailand market. Yazaki Group's new plant will have 2000 employees by 2015.