Global telecom company to invest $50 million in its plants near Charlotte, add 100 jobs

CommScope announced this week that it will invest $50 million in two of its plants in Catawba County, expanding the sites to create 100 new jobs.

Hickory-based telecommunications company CommScope manufactures and provides network infrastructure to 100 countries around the world. It has 30,000 employees worldwide and last year, its nets sales were $8.4 billion.

The company owns three facilities in Catawba County – Hickory, Catawba, and Claremont – and has around 1,500 employees there. With the new investment that is subject to federal and state assistance, the company will expand its Catawba and Claremont sites.

Hickory is about an hour north of Charlotte.

At its birthplace in Catawba facility, CommScope manufactures coaxial drop and distribution cables to be used in cable television and wireless networks, and will also include fiber cable after the latest investment, CommScope spokesman Joseph Depa said. The Claremont facility also produces cables to be used in data center and enterprise network architectures.

CommScope sees the expansion of jobs as a result of rising demand for high-speed Internet, both due to the pandemic and the rollout of 5G networks, according to its news release. Manufacturing more fiber cable and improving connectivity are key to improve its networks, the company said.

Catawba County has attracted a number of tech operations of late, including Apple and Bed, Bath & Beyond, which have data centers in Catawba County.

New job openings at the manufacturing sites range from entry-level manufacturing operators and maintenance technicians to supervisor roles. Most jobs require a high school diploma or equivalent to apply.