Apple Opens Houston Manufacturing Plant for AI Servers and Mac Minis

The facility, called the Advanced Manufacturing Center, spans 250,000 square feet and will assemble AI servers for Apple as well as Mac Mini desktop computers, with Mac Mini production slated to begin later this year. Apple said it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the plant.

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick attended the opening ceremony. Cook said the company had already shipped the first advanced AI servers from the Houston line. He also noted that the center will offer hands-on training for businesses, workers, and students, with the first cohort of small- and medium-sized business leaders spending the day learning from Apple engineers.

The training covers smart manufacturing techniques such as machine-learning-driven quality control and advanced automation. It builds on the Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit, which opened in August 2025 and has helped nearly 1,000 American workers, students, and entrepreneurs.

Lutnick called the opening 'an important step in Apple delivering on its promise to bring its manufacturing back to America.' The event comes as President Donald Trump has pushed Apple to produce iPhones in the U.S., while the company has expressed concerns about tariffs.

Cook is set to step down as CEO on September 1, 2026, with John Ternus, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, taking over. Cook will remain as executive chairman.