LS Cable expands U.S. presence with Taboro plant as demand surges

(LS Cable & System USA)

LS Cable & System Ltd. is expanding its U.S. footprint as it ramps up medium- and low-voltage power cable production at its plant in Tarboro, North Carolina, as the demand for power surges.

During a visit by Maeil Business Newspaper, rows of massive cable drums lined the site operated by LS Cable & System USA Inc. (LSCUS), the company’s U.S. subsidiary. These large cylinders store and transport finished cables destined for data centers, substations, and renewable energy sites across the country.

LS Cable acquired this communications cable plant after it fell into decline with the rise of smartphones. Following the acquisition, it established a local subsidiary in 2017 and, through steady investment, transformed the facility into a key production base for the eastern United States, combining local manufacturing with LS’s longstanding expertise. Its flagship medium-voltage cables, handling 3 to 35 kV, are used in distribution networks for fast-growing sectors like artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and renewable energy facilities. Low-voltage cables, for applications below 3 kV, are used mainly in building electrical systems.

The production process resembles making noodles: copper or aluminum is drawn into long wires, thinned into conductors, then coated with plastic insulation. “At the 40-meter tower, we melt and coat the cable with insulation in a strictly controlled cleanroom where even a speck of dust is kept out,” a LSCUS official noted.

The Tarboro plant employs a Class 100 cleanroom system, a high standard typically reserved for ultra-high-voltage or submarine cables, ensuring fewer than 100 particles of 0.5 micrometers or larger per square meter. This meticulous process has become a competitive edge.

Chief Technology Officer Tim West said this level of clean processing is rare even among U.S. peers and a key factor behind LS Cable’s strong reputation among customers needing high-quality power networks, such as AI data centers and renewable projects. Additional layers of metal tape or aluminum film are applied to boost safety before cables undergo strict performance, safety, and durability testing.

Chief Executive Officer Son Tae-won emphasized the plant’s efficiency. “Because cable lengths and specifications vary, workers themselves handle machine control and quality inspections. By combining LS headquarters’ expertise with local production, our delivery times are about half that of major competitors,” he said.

With more than 70 percent of the U.S. power grid now over 25 years old and new demand from data centers, electric vehicles, and renewable energy, the power cable market is enjoying historic growth. The Tarboro plant posted $200 million in revenue in 2024 and targets $500 million by 2030.

LSCUS is investing an additional 20 billion won in 2025, including a third catenary continuous vulcanization (CCV) line, and is considering fourth and fifth lines. Son revealed that LSCUS recently secured a $40 million contract with Quality Technology Services (QTS), a major data center operator serving Google LLC, Amazon.com Inc., and Meta Platforms Inc. The third CCV line will increase production capacity by 50 percent to meet rising demand.

LS Group is positioning the Tarboro plant as the centerpiece of a broader “Made in USA” strategy, aligning with U.S. grid modernization, the AI-data center boom, and the growth of renewable energy while quickly responding to tariff policies.

In a separate move, LS Cable is investing about 1 trillion won to build the largest submarine cable plant in the United States in Chesapeake, Virginia. The facility, which features the world’s tallest 201-meter production tower, is scheduled for completion in 2027.