On January 30th, elected leaders and staff from the City of Apache Junction joined local stakeholders at Sundt Construction’s groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction for its new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

The facility will be 65,000 square feet, which includes 10,000 square feet of office space to support engineering/design teams and a training facility used for employees throughout the region. This will be the largest industrial building in Apache Junction and is expected to create approximately 100 new jobs.

The building is anticipated to be completed in the first quarter of 2027. Sundt plans to expand into other specialties in the future, reserving remaining acreage of their property for expansion.

Win Aviation’s recent grand opening late last year of their new 33,000 SQFT aircraft maintenance hangar at Coolidge Municipal Airport marks the first substantial hangar construction project at the airport in more than 15 years. This investment represents a significant step forward in reactivating and modernizing the airport’s aviation infrastructure. The new facility will support expanded maintenance operations and strengthen Coolidge’s position in the regional aviation market.

Meanwhile, eCube Solutions continues to expand its presence at the Airport. As a global leader in aircraft storage, transition, and end-of-life solutions, eCube has steadily increased operations in Coolidge and recently partnered with the City on infrastructure improvements, including the new airport entry security gate. Their continued investment supports skilled aviation jobs, attracts specialized aircraft operations, and strengthens the airport’s long-term economic impact.

The Freeberg Industrial Fabrication facility at Park 8-TEN Logistics in Eloy has officially gone vertical, marking a significant construction milestone. This approximately 160,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is being developed as a major manufacturing and assembly hub for Freeberg Industrial Fabrication, a leader in precision metal fabrication and electro-mechanical systems. The Eloy location is purpose-built to support metal cutting, forming, welding, painting, and large-scale assembly operations, including the assembly of reciprocating engine power generation packages and other heavy electro-mechanical systems. Full operations are anticipated to begin in 2026.

Florence Copper recently reached a major milestone by producing its first commercial copper cathode, marking the first new copper supply from a U.S. greenfield facility in more than a decade. Once fully operational, the project is expected to produce 85 million pounds of LME Grade A copper annually, supporting domestic manufacturing and helping meet growing demand driven by electrification, advanced technologies, and national security needs.

This achievement highlights Florence Copper’s role in strengthening the U.S. critical minerals supply chain while contributing to economic growth and job creation in Pinal County and across Arizona.

Maricopa’s commercial momentum accelerates with new retail and restaurant openings near Home Depot & Lowe’s: Immediately adjacent to Lowe’s, ALDI has gone vertical, signaling the next phase of construction. In addition to ALDI’s, the site will deliver an additional 30,000 square feet of complementary retail space. Current plans for this space include Panera Bread, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and Einstein Bros. Bagels, expanding food and beverage options for the community. Fronting the Home Depot site, Maricopa will see a strong mix of restaurants and service-oriented retailers. The current plan includes Farmer Boys, Panda Express, Starbucks, and Christian Brothers Automotive, offering residents and visitors more choices and convenience within a rapidly growing commercial corridor.

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) has once again recognized the Town of Queen Creek's Economic Development Department as one of just 93 Accredited Economic Development Organizations (AEDO) in the world. The Town is reaccredited through 2028. The AEDO program is a comprehensive peer review process that measures economic development organizations against commonly held standards in the profession. The program consists of two phases: a documentation review and an onsite visit. Each phase is designed to evaluate information about the structure, organization, funding, program, and staff of the candidate economic development organization. With over 5,000 members nationwide and abroad, IEDC offers the economic development profession one source for information and professional development, one voice for the profession and one force for advocacy.