North Carolina data center is part of Apple’s $500 billion expansion plan across the US

 by Catherine Muccigrosso, The Charlotte Observer

North Carolina is part of Apple’s $500 billion U.S. expansion plans.

Apple will expand facilities in nine states over the next four years and create 20,000 jobs, the tech giant said in a news release Monday. With the company’s largest ever financial commitment, it is focusing on artificial intelligence, silicon engineering and skills development.

The plan includes expanding its data center capacity in North Carolina, as well as in Iowa, Oregon, Arizona and Nevada.

Apple helped create a data center corridor in Maiden, the Catawba County town where it set up operations in 2009, as well as in nearby Rutherford, Cleveland and Caldwell counties. Maiden is about 37 miles northwest of Charlotte.

Scott Millar, president of Catawba County Economic Development Corp., said Monday that the company has not yet reached out with specifics about its plan.

“They’ve invested over $4 billion here and have more real estate they could develop if they choose,” Millar said.

Apple is growing its workforce in North Carolina at the data center and corporate offices in Raleigh, the company told The Charlotte Observer late Monday. Apple did not provide details about its expansion plans, how much it plans to invest or the jobs impact in North Carolina.

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