A $950 Million Solar Cell Plant in Tomball Leads a Busy Day of Texas Jobs News

Four companies announced Texas investments and hiring milestones on Thursday, from a nearly billion-dollar solar factory northwest of Houston to a software office consolidation in North Texas. Most of the details come from the companies' own announcements, so the job numbers are their projections.

Tomball: $950 million for solar cells

Houston-based SEG Solar said it signed a land agreement for a planned $950 million solar cell plant at its Tomball Industrial Campus. The plant is expected to create more than 700 local jobs and come online in two phases in 2028 and 2029, the company said.

The factory would make heterojunction, or HJT, solar cells, with 4 gigawatts of yearly capacity. It will sit next to SEG's existing Tomball module plant and a second module plant under construction. Once finished, SEG says the campus would be one of the only places in the U.S. where HJT cells, the modules built from them and key components are all made in one place.

"American-made cells, American-made modules, one company accountable," said Jim Wood, SEG's chief executive. The company, founded in 2021, said it had shipped more than 7.5 gigawatts of solar modules worldwide by the end of 2025.

SEG says U.S.-made cells will help developers meet domestic content requirements and give buyers "a dependable source of U.S.-manufactured supply."

Addison: SAP brings 1,000 workers under one roof

Software company SAP picked Addison to merge its North Texas operations, moving about 1,000 employees from its Plano office and SAP Concur's Allen office to Spectrum Center at 5080 Spectrum Drive, Connect CRE reported. The office is expected to open in mid-2027.

Addison's City Council approved an incentive agreement that includes a capital investment grant of up to $500,000 plus performance-based incentives. The building's owner, Acram Group, has put about $30 million into improvements. Google, ServiceNow, Hitachi Digital Services, Tanium and Topaz Labs already have operations in Addison.

It is a consolidation, not new jobs coming from out of state. The workers already work in Plano and Allen.

Round Rock: Curtiss-Wright bets on nuclear

Curtiss-Wright announced a $30 million expansion of its Round Rock plant, which makes pressure and temperature sensors used in nuclear reactors. The company said it expects to add workers but did not give a number, according to its release.

"This expansion and investment in our Round Rock operations positions Curtiss-Wright to meet growing customer demand for our critical temperature and pressure sensors supporting the safe and reliable operation of existing and new-build commercial nuclear reactors," said Lynn M. Bamford, the company's chair and CEO. The project will also add an Advanced Innovation Center, a metrology testing laboratory and a project management office.

San Antonio: Toyota passes 4,000

Toyota's San Antonio truck plant has passed 4,000 employees, with more than 20 on-site suppliers employing another 5,600 people on the campus, the company said. The milestone follows hiring of more than 400 people for a new rear axle plant.

Toyota also announced $250,000 in workforce grants: $100,000 to Goodwill San Antonio for its reentry and manufacturing boot camp training pathways; $100,000 to Southwest ISD for welding and career education; and $50,000 to Project QUEST. Hiring for a future vehicle assembly expansion is expected to begin in 2029.

"Manufacturing is ultimately about people," said Frank Voss, president of Toyota Texas.

Why it matters

Announcements are not paychecks yet, and timelines can slip. But steady, skilled work is how families build a life, and the Toyota grants show a company investing in welders and second chances, not just buildings. For Texans looking for that kind of work, Tomball and San Antonio are worth watching.

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