Applied Optoelectronics, the Sugar Land-based optics manufacturer, is cranking up its stateside ambitions, nearly doubling its planned U.S. investment to about $150 million while chasing a Texas state tax incentive, according to city and company filings. The expansion is tied to a shift of more production back to the U.S. to supply high-speed optical transceivers for AI data centers, with company and local officials saying the buildout includes a major new plant and a pledge to add roughly 500 jobs over five years.
Factory Plans and Scope
According to a press release by Applied Optoelectronics, the company plans to add a new manufacturing line at its existing headquarters and construct a roughly 210,000-square-foot facility to produce optical…..