Prysmian broke ground on a US$100 million expansion of its Jackson, Tennessee facility on 15 October 2026. The company says the project will increase manufacturing capacity for loose-tube and drop optical-fibre cables, with construction expected to finish in the first half of 2028.

The announcement is a useful signal for businesses planning fibre infrastructure: new capacity is being developed, but a construction milestone is different from cable being available for a project today.

What has been announced

According to Prysmian’s Jackson announcement, the expansion follows a US$30 million investment announced in 2022 to convert the site from legacy copper cable production to optical-fibre cable manufacturing. The latest project is expected to create 100 local jobs. It forms part of the company’s wider manufacturing investment across Tennessee and the Carolinas.

There is also a direct AI infrastructure connection in that wider programme. In its 10 September Claremont announcement, Prysmian said additional capacity would support its long-term optical-cable supply agreement with Molex, addressing demand associated with AI, cloud computing and other data-intensive applications. The company expects that expanded facility to come fully online in 2030.

Practical implications for UAE projects

The following is XConnect’s planning analysis, not a promise of product availability or pricing.

For a UAE data centre, campus or building upgrade, the immediate takeaway is to connect procurement decisions to the actual installation schedule. These US investments do not establish that a particular cable will be stocked locally, qualify for a project specification or arrive sooner. Obtain written confirmation for the exact part numbers and quantities you need.

• Separate the cable applications. Identify which routes run outdoors, between buildings or within the data hall. A capacity announcement covering loose-tube and drop cables should not be treated as confirmation of availability for every indoor trunk or patching assembly.
• Resolve the complete connection schedule. Agree fibre counts, interfaces, route lengths and termination arrangements with the design team before placing orders. Record any approved alternatives so a substitution does not silently change the design.
• Keep delivery and acceptance together. Ask for manufacturing and shipping dates, then plan installation, inspection, testing and handover as one sequence. Reserve time to resolve damaged deliveries or unexpected site conditions.

For AI infrastructure, a clear fibre plan belongs alongside rack, power and cooling decisions. The practical opportunity is to reduce uncertainty early: confirm the design, confirm the supply, and keep evidence of what was installed.

Explore our data centre solutions or contact XConnect to discuss your infrastructure requirements.

Sources: Prysmian’s Jackson announcement (15 October 2026) and Claremont announcement (10 September 2026), linked above. Reviewed 18 October 2026.