Apple says it will start building Mac Minis in Houston later this year

By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff.  • 2 min read

Topline

Apple announced Tuesday that it will start building its Mac Mini computers in Houston later this year as part of its broader effort to expand manufacturing in the U.S., a year after the company announced a $500 billion investment—later expanded to $600 billion—in the country for building a new factory and hiring thousands.

Key Facts

In a press release, Apple said this is a “significant expansion of factory operations in Houston” under which it will bring the “future production of Mac mini to the U.S. for the first time.”

The Mac Mini desktop computers are presently manufactured in several Asian countries, including China, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, according to Bloomberg.

In addition to Mac Minis, Apple said it will expand “advanced AI server manufacturing at the factory” and begin providing hands-on training at its new “Advanced Manufacturing Center” later this year.

The company said it began producing AI servers in its Houston plant for the first time in 2025 and claimed “production is already ahead of schedule,” and these servers are being used in its data centers around the country.

What Do We Know About Apple’s Investment Commitment?

Apple announced its investment commitment in the U.S. last year, shortly after it was leaked by President Donald Trump. The company at the time said its “$500 billion commitment” included plans to build a new “advanced manufacturing facility in Houston.” After Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Trump at the Oval Office in August last year, the company expanded this commitment to $600 billion. In Tuesday’s announcement, Apple said its 20,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center is “scheduled to open its doors” later this year. The iPhone-maker said it the facility will provide “hands-on training in advanced manufacturing techniques to students, supplier employees, and American businesses of all sizes.”Related video: We got rare access to the US factories making Apple’s advanced chips (The Wall Street Journal)

What Do We Know About The Mac Mini?

The Mac Mini is the cheapest computer in Apple’s lineup of Mac devices, starting at a price of $599. Bloomberg reported that it one of the company’s “lower-volume products” as it sells fewer units compared to the popular MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops and iMac all-in-one desktop computers. However, the Mac Mini has seen renewed interest in recent months as its high-speed memory allows users to run AI models locally. Mac Minis have been one of the recommended devices for deploying the viral agent OpenClaw (formerly known as Clawdbot).

Story originally featured on Forbes.com

Siladitya Ray is a reporter for Forbes’ news team, covering major world news with a focus on technology and online platforms. They joined Forbes in 2020 and work in New Delhi. Ray has reported on topics such as Congressional efforts regarding TikTok, Elon Musk’s handling of policy at X, and the 2024 General Elections in India. Prior to Forbes, they covered tech policy and consumer tech for Hindustan Times and Medianama. Ray holds an MA in Business and Economics Journalism from Columbia University.