A Houston-based manufacturer of power transmission cables will invest $193.7 million in a production facility that is expected to create 333 jobs in Chatham County. The unit of MetOx International expects to complete its investment by the end of 2029 and begin hiring in 2027. The entity will be formed upon final site selection for the project.

MetOx is a leader in high-temperature superconducting technology. Its products transmit extremely high power at low voltage with zero heat generation or energy loss. Its products are used in AI-driven applications and data centers, wind turbines, motors and generators for aviation and aerospace, defense systems and fusion energy.

MetOx’s project in Chatham County will be to make the company’s Xeus HTS wire, which can make transmission cables 10 times more efficient than traditional copper cables, according to a release.

“Establishing our new large-scale manufacturing facility in Chatham County is a pivotal step toward securing a reliable, domestic supply of HTS wire for the development of critical infrastructure in the United States,” says MetOx CEO Bud Vos in a statement. The plant will deliver transformative energy technologies that trengthen the grid and reduce carbon emissions, while creating manufacturing jobs, he added.

The average salary for the new positions will be $75,132 a year. The current average wage in Chatham County stands at $48,413. North Carolina’s average wage is $65,409.

The state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier Tuesday approved a Job Development Investment Grant of up to almost $3.2 million over 12 years if MetOx hits job and investment targets. Chatham County incentives total an additional $5.7 million.

The project’s projected return of investment is 75%, meaning for every dollar of potential cost, the state expects $1.75 in state revenue.

MetOx looked for a site for nearly a year, Houston, and sites in Ohio, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina and South Carolina. Key requirements included available workers, a demonstrated successful history of partnerships between public, private and academic entities, competitive utility costs, real estate pricing and regulatory and tax environment.

MetOx raised $40 million in recent months from a variety of investors including New Systems Ventures and Centaurus Capital, the family office of Houston billionaire John Arnold.