AI-infrastructure company Crusoe Energy Systems LLC (Crusoe) announced plans Friday to invest about $10 million into a new Tulsa manufacturing facility that will create 100 new jobs.
Founded in 2018, Crusoe has dual headquarters in Denver and San Francisco and operates in seven states and three countries. Its facility in Tulsa, located at 5404 S. 122nd E. Ave., will encompass roughly 120,000 square feet and manufacture critical elements of data center infrastructure such as switchgear.
“From a Tulsa perspective, this place is absolutely perfect for us to scale up, and there are a number of reasons why that is true,” Cully Cavness, Crusoe co-founder and president, said Friday at a news conference.
Cavness referenced the city’s deep heritage in technical manufacturing, its available workforce and pro-business attitude.
“The (Tulsa Regional) Chamber and other organizations in the community have been so welcoming to us and providing everything from introductions to various incentives to assistance in making the right connections,” Cavness said. “Those things really help. We can tell that Tulsa wants us to be here and do business here. You can’t take that for granted today.”
Crusoe already has a small team in Tulsa dedicated to repairing its tech and components used in the field. The new manufacturing operation is expected to employ 100 people by year’s end.
“I’m elated Crusoe has chosen Tulsa to expand its operations,” said Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. “Tulsa’s Future, the Chamber-led regional economic development partnership, is always on the lookout for companies that are innovative, and Crusoe certainly fits the bill. Crusoe has pioneered digital infrastructure that taps into wasted, stranded or clean energy. It is that kind of environmentally friendly technology that the planet needs and that our community welcomes.”
Crusoe, which recently was featured in a 60 Minutes story, is a company on a mission to align the future of computing with the future of the climate. As builders and operators of clean computing infrastructure, Crusoe reduces both the costs and the environmental impact of the world’s expanding digital economy.
“Our Tulsa’s Future team takes several national recruiting trips a year to bring companies to Tulsa,” said Justin McLaughlin, executive vice president and COO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. “We met Crusoe representatives on a marketing trip to Denver in 2022, and we were immediately impressed by their drive, ingenuity and vision. The jobs that Crusoe will create with this manufacturing operation will change lives, and we can’t wait to see what kind of footprint the company makes in Tulsa.”
Local leaders, including Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, see Crusoe as a great fit for Tulsa.
“I am excited to welcome Crusoe to Tulsa as we work to bring in the next generation of forward-thinking companies to our city,” Bynum said. “I want to thank Crusoe for choosing Tulsa, and I look forward to seeing the new opportunities they will bring.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Crusoe to Tulsa County and are excited about the announcement of 100 new manufacturing jobs,” said Stan Sallee, chair of the Tulsa County Board of Commissioners. “Tulsa has a long history in the petroleum industry and was once the Oil Capital of the World.
“Crusoe is bringing us into the next generation by utilizing excess oil and gas byproducts to provide cloud-based energy services. It’s a win for the environment and a win for economic development while using our country’s natural resources.”