Apple opened its new Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) in Houston.
Training for small and medium-sized businesses
The center offers free training and educational sessions for small- and medium-sized businesses, giving them direct experience with state-of-the-art equipment, interactive labs, and tools they need to accelerate innovation. The AMC is located within the same Houston facility that builds and ships Apple’s advanced AI servers and will begin manufacturing Mac mini this year.
At the center — the company’s second U.S. manufacturing learning site — experts teach participants many of the same innovative processes used to make Apple products. As part of the center’s kickoff event, Apple is proud to host U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, Houston Mayor John Whitmire, U.S. Representative Christian Menefee, and Harris County Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis, along with other officials and community partners. They are joining Apple leaders and the AMC’s first cohort of small- and medium-sized business leaders for a full day of hands-on training and programming.
“In less than nine months, we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into this Houston facility. We stood up a factory, started production, and shipped the first advanced AI servers off the line. Today, we’re thrilled to open our new Advanced Manufacturing Center, a place where businesses, workers, and students can learn the same innovative processes that we use to make Apple’s most groundbreaking products. And we’re pleased to begin Mac mini production later this year,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We believe in American workers and American ingenuity, and we are moving at an incredible pace because we want to build more than great products. We want to build the future of American manufacturing.”
“This opening is an important step in Apple delivering on its promise to bring its manufacturing back to America,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. “With this Advanced Manufacturing Center, Apple will equip American workers with the skills they need to lead the next generation of technology.”
- Three people are pictured on the factory floor at Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston.
- A presenter stands in front of a screen that reads “What data do you need to define these processes?” at Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston.
- Two people are pictured near equipment at Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston.
Curriculum, training and Apple's broader manufacturing push
Inside the 20,000-square-foot center, Apple experts will share their knowledge directly with participating businesses and entrepreneurs to help accelerate smart manufacturing across America. Curriculum topics will range from classroom sessions on advanced manufacturing principles for final assembly and design considerations for printed circuit board assembly, to interactive workshops that make use of the site’s representative production facility and equipment. As programming expands, the AMC will offer the same hands-on training to local college students, equipping the next generation of American manufacturing workers with critical skills.
To mark the AMC’s opening, its first cohort of small- and medium-sized business leaders is spending the day immersed in hands-on training led by Apple engineers, covering smart manufacturing techniques like machine-learning-driven quality control and advanced automation. Participants are learning how to identify and adapt to production challenges in real time, engage with the lab’s holographic table and advanced factory-floor equipment, and gain hands-on experience assembling and laser etching a product themselves.
The AMC builds on the work of the Apple Manufacturing Academy, which opened in Detroit in August 2025 and has already helped nearly 1,000 American workers, students, and entrepreneurs learn smart manufacturing techniques and integrate AI into their production processes. The Apple Manufacturing Academy’s virtual programming also offers flexible, on-demand learning covering topics including automation, quality control optimization, and machine learning with vision, as well as professional development training.
Apple announced earlier this year that it will bring Mac mini production to Houston. The company shipped its first advanced AI servers less than a year after identifying a factory site. Since announcing a $600 billion commitment last year, Apple and its American Manufacturing Program partners have invested in designing and producing custom silicon, advanced components, and cover glass in the U.S., demonstrating the company’s long-standing commitment to strengthening the country’s advanced manufacturing sector.
Statement from Texas leadership:
Statement from Texas Governor Greg Abbott: “Apple’s expansion in Houston underscores Texas as the epicenter of American industry and innovation. This new facility will deliver the skills Texans need to excel in advanced manufacturing. We thank Apple for its confidence in the Lone Star State.”
Statement from U.S. Senator Ted Cruz: “Apple’s new Advanced Manufacturing Center underscores that Texas is the best state in the country to do business. We prioritize innovation, competition, and make it easy for employers to grow and thrive. This new facility will drive job creation and directly benefit our communities by giving small- and mid-sized businesses access to cutting-edge equipment, interactive labs, and operations expertise. This project isn’t just great news for Lone Star State businesses, however. It’s great news for Texas working families.”
Statement from U.S. Representative Christian D. Menefee: “I’m excited about the opportunity Apple is bringing to Houston — partnering with small businesses, keeping manufacturing in the U.S., and creating jobs so folks in our community can build a future right here at home. This is a good day for Houston.”
Statement from Houston Mayor John Whitmire: “Houston is grateful to Apple for this significant investment in our city. The Advanced Manufacturing Center will create local jobs and will continue improving the quality of life of Houston residents. The AMC also recognizes our city as a growing technology hub and solidifies Houston’s leadership in the manufacturing sector of the United States.”
Like this news? Make BIC Magazine a Google preferred news source.
Statement from Harris County Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis: “I am proud that Apple chose Harris County for this investment. My office has consistently fought to bring good jobs within reach of working people and ensure small businesses — especially those historically shut out — have a fair opportunity to compete and grow. At a time when rising costs are squeezing families here and across the country, this new center can help create pathways to greater economic security. I want every young person growing up in our neighborhoods, every student at a university or community college, and every small business owner working to grow their business to know there is a place for them in the future being built here. Investments like these expand opportunity to ensure that no one is left behind.”
