Hadrian, the California-based advanced manufacturing company building AI-powered factories for the U.S. defense and aerospace sectors, officially opened its Factory 4 today in Cherokee, Alabama (Colbert County).
The ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1200 Haley Drive ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT, drawing government officials, industry leaders, and the local community for speeches, live music (including a performance by Lynyrd Skynyrd), and tours of the new facility.
This is Hadrian’s fourth major U.S. factory, following sites in Torrance, California (two facilities), and Mesa, Arizona (Factory 3 opened in January 2026).
Factory 4 is a large-scale defense industrial site specifically built to manufacture precision components and mission-critical systems in support of the U.S. Navy, including parts for submarines and other naval programs.
The $2 billion private investment is one of the largest economic development projects in Northwest Alabama’s history and is expected to create more than 1,000 high-skilled jobs in the Shoals region (machinists, robotics technicians, engineers, and support roles).
Hadrian specializes in AI-powered, software-defined manufacturing, using robotics, automation, and proprietary software to produce aerospace and defense parts faster, cheaper, and with higher precision than traditional methods.
The company calls its approach “Factories-as-a-Service”, where clients get access to on-demand, automated production capacity without building their own facilities. Factory 4 expands Hadrian’s national footprint to meet surging demand from the U.S. defense industrial base amid efforts to re-shore critical manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.
The facility will partner directly with the U.S. Navy and defense contractors, helping address long-standing delays in producing components for submarines, ships, and other military systems.
Hadrian’s AI-driven systems can deliver parts in weeks instead of months or years, a capability that has already attracted major customers like Lockheed Martin and the Department of Defense.
For the Shoals region and Alabama, this is a transformative economic boost. The new jobs come with competitive wages and training programs, and the project strengthens the state’s growing role in defense manufacturing. Community members were invited to attend the free event, which celebrated the milestone and highlighted Hadrian’s commitment to workforce development in the area.
Hadrian’s expansion reflects broader U.S. efforts to revitalize domestic manufacturing for national security. With factories now in California, Arizona, and Alabama, the company is positioning itself as a key player in rebuilding America’s industrial base; faster, smarter, and more secure.
