It has been reported multiple times over the past couple of weeks that Samsung Electronics is thinking about setting up a new plant in the United States for manufacturing home appliances. As protectionism rises in the United States, it's possible that the company feels it will be better to manufacture appliances inside the country even though the production costs will be higher than they are in countries like Vietnam and China where the bulk of Samsung's manufacturing takes place. At least this way Samsung won't have to worry about tariff barriers and anti-dumping lawsuits.
As per a recent report, Samsung is going to decide where this plant is going to be based in the first half of this year, it's searching for a factory site in Alabama or South Carolina. The company wants to find a site that's already in use instead of having to build a new plant from scratch. Both states have reportedly offered Samsung investment incentives and it's comparing their offerings as it continues to look for the best location.
President Donald Trump has already expressed his satisfaction at Samsung deciding to set up its first American production line for home appliances even though the company hasn't confirmed anything about it so far.