Apple has announced that it’s expanding operations in Austin, Texas, with the start of construction on a new campus. The new facility will cost $1 billion and cover 3-million-square-feet. The new campus will initially house 5,000 employees from 2022, with the capacity being upgraded to accommodate 15,000 employees later on. When the work is complete, the 15,000 employees will join the already existing 7,000 employees bringing the total to 22,000.
Apple also mentioned the fact that the new Mac Pro, which is due in December, is currently being manufactured in Austin, just a short distance away from the planned campus. The Mac Pro facility currently employs over 500 people who work in a range of including electrical engineering and electronic assembly.
Commenting on the Mac Pro assembly and the planned campus, Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said:
“Building the Mac Pro, Apple’s most powerful device ever, in Austin is both a point of pride and a testament to the enduring power of American ingenuity. With the construction of our new campus in Austin now underway, Apple is deepening our close bond with the city and the talented and diverse workforce that calls it home. Responsible for 2.4 million American jobs and counting, Apple is eager to write our next chapter here and to keep contributing to America’s innovation story.”
In a bid to improve its green credentials, Apple announced that the new campus would be home to native trees. The company is partnering with Austin-based Bartlett Tree Experts to help preserve and increase the native tree stocks. The firm said the trees that have been planned represent a “significant” increase over the number that was on the site before construction started.
According to the latest plans, 60 percent of the campus will be a green space. Included in the 60 percent figure is a 50-acre nature and wildlife preserve which will be open to the public. Lastly, Apple mentioned that the Austin campus will run on 100% renewable energy, some of which will be sourced from on-site solar panels.