Lumentum Holdings Inc. plans to establish a major semiconductor manufacturing facility in Greensboro, North Carolina, as part of a broader effort to expand domestic production capacity for components used in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

The company will acquire and retrofit a 240,000-square-foot facility from Qorvo. Converting the site into a production hub for indium phosphide (InP)-based optical devices. These components—primarily lasers and optical chips—are essential for transmitting large volumes of data at high speed within hyperscale data centers.

The Greensboro facility is already operational and will be upgraded to support production of continuous wave and ultra-high-power laser technologies. Lumentum stated the site will significantly expand its manufacturing capacity using 6-inch InP wafers, with full production ramp expected by mid-2028.

NVIDIA is expected to serve as a key customer under existing strategic agreements, with the facility also positioned to supply other AI infrastructure providers. The expansion comes amid rising demand for high-performance optical components driven by the rapid scaling of AI workloads.

Strengthening U.S.-based manufacturing

Lumentum plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into the project over the coming years. The investment supports the company’s strategy to strengthen U.S.-based manufacturing, improve supply chain resilience, and align with increasing industry emphasis on onshoring critical semiconductor production.

The project is expected to preserve and create more than 400 manufacturing jobs across engineering, operations, supply chain, and support functions. State and local economic development programs have supported the investment. Reflecting North Carolina’s continued growth as a hub for semiconductor and advanced manufacturing projects tied to next-generation computing infrastructure.

The facility will play a role in supporting the buildout of AI data centers by supplying the optical components that enable fast, energy-efficient data transmission between servers, a critical requirement for modern cloud and AI systems.

The investment adds to a growing pipeline of large-scale manufacturing projects in North Carolina, spanning both semiconductor and life sciences sectors. Notably, Genentech is advancing construction of a $700 million biomanufacturing facility in Holly Springs, further reinforcing the state’s position as a hub for high-value production tied to next-generation technologies.

Lumentum: Greensboro Expansion Factsheet

Overview

Company: Lumentum Holdings Inc.

Location: Greensboro, North Carolina.

Site Origin: 240,000-square-foot facility acquired from Qorvo.

Status: Currently operational; undergoing retrofitting for advanced optical production.

Core Technology & Production

Primary Focus: Advanced indium phosphide (InP)-based optical devices.

Specific Hardware: Continuous wave (CW) and ultra-high-power (UHP) lasers.

Manufacturing Scale: Transitioning to high-capacity 6-inch InP wafers.

Target Timeline: Production ramp-up scheduled for mid-2028.

End Use: Critical components for hyperscale AI data centers.

Strategic Alliances

Primary Partner: NVIDIA (utilizing the site for critical infrastructure and R&D).

Client Base: Supporting leading AI infrastructure customers for “scale-out” and “scale-up” requirements.

Strategic Goal: Enhancing U.S. supply chain resilience and onshoring advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

Economic & Community Impact

Capital Investment: Hundreds of millions of dollars over the coming years.

Workforce: Preserving and creating over 400 U.S. manufacturing jobs.

Key Roles: Fabrication engineering, equipment engineering, technicians, operations, and corporate support.

Development Support: Backed by North Carolina state and local economic programs.