Stanley Black & Decker commits $1B to U.S. manufacturing, R&D and workforce training

Stanley Black & Decker has unveiled a $1 billion investment plan to enhance U.S. manufacturing, research and development, and workforce training by 2028. The company, headquartered in Connecticut, will allocate half of the funds to capital spending and domestic manufacturing expansion, while the remaining half will support R&D for advanced tools and breakthrough technologies. ## Strengthening domestic production and innovation The investment reflects Stanley Black & Decker’s commitment to advancing productivity and bridging the skilled trades gap in the U.S. The company has already made progress on a separate $60 million pledge to support skilled trades training programs through 2030, with $27 million deployed over the past three years. CEO Chris Nelson emphasized the importance of these initiatives in fostering a stronger workforce and a more resilient future for communities nationwide. The U.S. construction industry faces a growing demand for skilled workers, with an estimated need for 456,000 new workers next year, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors. This shortage has been worsened by an aging workforce and stricter federal immigration policies. However, there is a rising interest among young adults in construction trades, as noted by the National Association of Home Builders. ## Supporting workforce development To encourage this trend, Stanley Black & Decker’s Dewalt Grow the Trades Initiative awarded $200,000 in scholarships to 40 students across the U.S. and Canada this year, covering fields such as welding, electrical work, and carpentry. Nelson highlighted the company’s efforts to build a more robust workforce through technology, manufacturing investments, and expanded training programs. The company recently benefited from a pre-tax gain of $118 million related to the first phase of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariff refund process, which significantly boosted its second-quarter earnings. Stanley Black & Decker plans to use these refunds to accelerate growth investments for the remainder of the year, though specific allocation details have not been disclosed. ## Industry-wide investment trends Stanley Black & Decker’s investment aligns with broader industry trends, as more companies prioritize domestic production to stay closer to key markets and avoid tariffs. In 2025, foreign investments in U.S. businesses reached $232.2 billion, marking a 49.5% increase from the previous year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Other major companies have also made substantial commitments to U.S. manufacturing. General Motors pledged $830 million across three U.S. factories in May, bringing its total domestic investment to $6 billion over the past year. Semiconductor firm Micron announced plans to invest over $250 billion through 2035 to strengthen its U.S. supply chain, while pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly committed more than $16 billion to three domestic facilities focused on weight-loss treatments. Stanley Black & Decker operates over 100 manufacturing facilities worldwide, with more than 50 in the U.S. The company employs 43,500 people across 59 countries, with approximately 35% of its workforce based in the U.S.