Italian Manufacturer CEP USA Opens First U.S. Facility in North Little Rock
CEP USA, an Italy-based prefabricated electrical substation manufacturer, formally opened its first U.S. production facility in North Little Rock on May 19. The facility will assemble medium-voltage power stations in partnership with SMA Solar Technology and is expected to create about 27 jobs over the next five years.
Company executives, local officials, and partners gathered at 9401 Diamond Drive in North Little Rock on May 19 for the grand opening of CEP USA's inaugural U.S. operation. CEP is an Italian firm with more than 30 years in the design and construction of prefabricated substations, supplying projects in over 80 countries. The North Little Rock site is a joint venture with SMA America — the U.S. arm of SMA Solar Technology — where SMA's inverter systems will be integrated with CEP's prefabricated electrical substations to produce medium-voltage power station (MVPS) platforms.
Operations and Investment
Assembly operations at the facility began earlier in 2026, and the first major client project is slated for delivery before year-end. The company expects to invest nearly $1 million in the facility and create approximately 27 new jobs over the next five years. The MVPS product line targets utility-scale solar and grid projects, a market that has grown sharply as grid operators expand capacity for data center and electrification demand.
North Little Rock Context
The Diamond Drive location sits in the industrial corridor west of downtown North Little Rock, an area that has drawn a mix of manufacturing and logistics tenants over the past decade. North Little Rock's port-adjacent industrial base has seen several recent additions — Faymonville Group's heavy-transport facility and Elopak's carton plant are both nearby at the Port of Little Rock — and the CEP USA opening adds another international manufacturer to the cluster.
What This Means
Twenty-seven jobs is a modest number on its own, but the facility establishes a U.S. foothold for a company with significant global contracts. If the MVPS product line gains traction in the utility-scale solar market — which is expanding quickly in the mid-South — the North Little Rock operation could grow well beyond its initial headcount.
Source: https://talkbusiness.net/2026/05/electrical-substation-manufacturer-locating-in-north-little-rock
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