Regent has completed the world's first Seaglider Manufacturing Facility, establishing a dedicated production centre for its wing-in-ground effect vessels in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

The milestone was revealed at the Reindustrialise conference in Detroit, where the company showcased the completed facility through an immersive 3D experience and production-floor simulation.

Spanning 255,000 square feet at Quonset Business Park, the site will serve as Regent's global manufacturing hub for both its Viceroy passenger Seaglider and Squire Seaglider drone programmes. The company says its commercial order book exceeds £10 billion across six continents, while defence work includes £15 million in contracts with the U.S. Marine Corps.

“The Seaglider Manufacturing Facility is our part in helping America lead the next generation of manufacturing and transportation technology,” says Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO of Regent. “From our facility at 1 Seaglider Way, we will deliver Seaglider vessels to customers on six continents, create hundreds of high-quality American jobs, and show the world what it looks like when innovation and manufacturing meet at scale. We built this facility the way we build our vessels: with precision, purpose, and an uncompromising commitment to quality and safety.”

The facility incorporates structural assembly, wing and hydrofoil integration, battery installation, systems integration and water-based testing capabilities. Its waterfront location provides direct access for sea trials while supporting an expanding domestic supply chain.

Regent says the layout has been designed to accommodate phased production increases while maintaining safety, certification and quality requirements.

“We have built a factory that combines the best of modern manufacturing technology with the deep skills of Rhode Island's maritime workforce,” adds Mark Duchesne, VP of Manufacturing & Supply Chain at Regent. “Every system, every tool, every layout decision was made with one goal: to produce the highest-quality Seaglider vessels in the world, consistently, at scale, and with the traceability that certification demands. This will be American manufacturing at its best.”

The company has pledged to create 300 jobs at the facility, with scope to increase that figure to 750 over the coming decade. Regent says it has already reinvested £71.5 million into Rhode Island and created more than 100 jobs before the site's completion.