Inside this Article

• This article examines a large-scale data center construction project in Indiana and the role of finishing trades in complex infrastructure builds.
• It highlights how drywall finishing, painting and protective coatings contribute to durability, performance and schedule control in high-tech facilities.
• The piece also addresses workforce scale, contractor coordination and the long-term infrastructure demands of data center construction.

In the heart of New Carlisle, Indiana, one of the largest construction projects in the country is taking shape: a sprawling, multibillion-dollar Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center campus. With an estimated cost of more than $11 billion and growing, the Carlisle Data Center is not only a major investment in infrastructure but also a significant source of union jobs and economic opportunity for the area.

Each day, more than 2,000 construction workers are on site, not including permanent site personnel. Among them are more than 100 members of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), who bring critical skills to this complex, high-tech build.

The project is spread across four general contractors, which have subcontracted to 10 separate IUPAT signatory contractors. These union workers specialize in the finishing trades, including drywall finishing, painting and protective coatings. District Council 91 (DC91), which represents the state of Indiana and surrounding regions, represents approximately 60 members currently working on site each day. IUPAT members are working across this massive development, performing various crafts ranging from preparing and finishing interiors to applying specialty coatings.

“Our members are doing what they do best, delivering high-quality craftsmanship under demanding timelines,” said David Ploughe, DC91 business agent. “Projects of this scale require skill, coordination and commitment. That’s what our union brings to the table.”

Skilled union craftsmanship represents the best of the construction industry, especially in tech infrastructure, where precision, safety and quality cannot be compromised. As the Carlisle Data Center project continues to expand over the next decade, IUPAT members will be a continued presence in the building of not only the physical structures but also the future of cloud computing in North America.

For IUPAT, it is more than just a project. It is a testament to what organized labor can accomplish in building vital infrastructure for stronger communities for generations to come.