Protocase, 45Drives Accelerate U.S. Manufacturing Expansion, Launching Production at New Wilmington Facility

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Protocase and its subsidiary 45Drives are ahead of schedule in expanding their U.S. manufacturing footprint, announcing today the launch of production at their newly secured 12,000-square-foot facility in Wilmington, North Carolina. The facility, located at 4270 US Highway 421, will initially focus on sub-assembly for 45Drives, with plans to scale up to full production for both companies within the next year.

This milestone marks a significant acceleration in Protocase and 45Drives’ U.S. expansion strategy, which initially projected manufacturing as a later phase of the company’s presence in Wilmington.

The facility will operate through an integrated workflow between Protocase’s well-established headquarters in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and its Wilmington site. Initially, boards and components will be brought together from existing supply chain, including metal from Sydney, and shipped to Wilmington for assembly and testing. The facility will begin assembling large, complex 45Drives Storinator and Storinator Hybrid servers in mid-March, eventually transitioning to full production for all U.S. customers and 45Drives servers, including the new ultra-performance Stornado F16. As time progresses, items such as circuit boards and metal components will be produced in Wilmington as well.

“Our goal has always been to bring high-value, high-density manufacturing to Wilmington to satisfy the appetite for made-in-USA computing systems, and we’re excited to be ahead of schedule in doing so,” said Doug Milburn, President of 45Drives. “These servers are just the beginning—we have big plans for expanding our U.S. production capabilities, and this facility will be a cornerstone of that growth.”

“The rapid progress of our Wilmington expansion speaks to the strength of our team and the demand for our solutions,” said Steve Lilley, President of Protocase. “This facility represents our commitment to serving U.S. customers more efficiently while continuing to innovate in precision manufacturing and data infrastructure.”

With a strong emphasis on employee density per square foot, the Wilmington facility is designed to support high-efficiency production and job creation in the region. As Protocase and 45Drives continue to grow, additional roles will be created to support increasing operational capacity.