“This new $300 million investment in our manufacturing facilities across the U.S. is the latest example of Anheuser-Busch’s commitment to strengthening our local communities by creating and sustaining jobs and driving economic prosperity,” CEO Brendan Whitworth said. “Investing in our people and in new technologies and capabilities to drive industry and economic growth is core to who we are.”
The investment is part of the company’s “Brewing Futures” initiative, which focuses on three areas: upgrading manufacturing facilities, building a skilled workforce, and creating more opportunities for veterans, according to the company.
One of the initiative’s major components is the expansion of Anheuser-Busch’s Technical Excellence Center model, which seeks to upskill its workforce with additional technical training.
As part of that, a new regional training center will open in Columbus, Ohio, where the company plans to upskill the technical workforce there over the next three years. In addition to internal training, the facility will be accessible to trade school students and instructors in partnership with local institutions and the Manufacturing Institute.
“Anheuser-Busch has been a shining example of what ‘Made in America’ means, and their latest investment of $300 million builds on their longtime commitment to grow our workforce and expand U.S. manufacturing,” U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer said. “They are demonstrating exactly what it means to put American workers first, setting a standard for other companies to follow.”
The company said it is also increasing its support for veterans. Anheuser-Busch will be the first American manufacturer to adopt a digital credentialing system that translates military experience into manufacturing-relevant skills, the company added in its release.
It plans to train recruiters to recognize those credentials and match applicants to appropriate roles. More than 10 percent of the company’s workforce already consists of veterans or active-duty service members.
“Anheuser-Busch’s $300 million investment is more than a commitment to manufacturing in America—it’s a commitment to America’s future,” said Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers. “By expanding technical training and strengthening our industrial base in Columbus, and with their support of the Manufacturing Institute’s Heroes MAKE America initiative, they are opening doors of opportunity for manufacturing workers across this country. This investment will help fuel our economy, lift up communities and secure the promise of manufacturing in America for generations to come.”
Anheuser-Busch, based out of St. Louis, said it employs around 65,000 people nationwide and that 99 percent of the products it already sells in the United States are made domestically.
