Edwards Vacuum to Build $319M Plant in Upstate NY

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Edwards Vacuum, a British manufacturer of semiconductor factory equipment, will build a $319 million, 240,000-square-foot industrial manufacturing facility on part the 1,250-acre New York Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP), located at 1249 Stamp Dr. in Alabama, N.Y.

Empire State Development has offered Edwards $21 million in Jobs and Investment Tax Credits, in addition to another $1 million to support workforce development and hiring efforts at the facility. In the near future, Edwards Vacuum is expected to apply for further property, sales and mortgage tax assistance.

Edwards Vacuum is an industry leader in the manufacturing of vacuum and abatement equipment, essential parts of the sterile environment required for the fabrication of semiconductors. The plant will produce the company’s flagship dry pump technology, to be used for controlling the conditions in the cleanrooms where semiconductor manufacturing takes place.

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Located along the tech corridor of universities, factories and engineering firms, the project will have access to efficient hydropower and a large water supply. After its completion, the facility is expected to create 600 additional jobs.

Fabrication frenzy

The announcement takes place as Upstate N.Y. emerges as a global center for the manufacturing of semiconductors and microchips. Wolfspeed, Onsemi and GlobalFoundaries have all recently announced commitments in the region.

Most notable is Micron Technology’s recent announcement of its plan to build a $100 billion semiconductor manufacturing plant in Syracuse, which includes the largest cleanroom in the U.S,. The first $20 billion phase will begin construction in 2023. For its part, STAMP has seen over $500 million in investment to date, with over half of its available acreage being built on. The park enjoys access to a considerable supply of talent, with 30,000 engineering students within 6 miles.

Much of the flurry of semiconductor and microchip manufacturing investment and plant development in Upstate N.Y. has been boosted by the recent passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, which allocates $52 billion specifically toward American semiconductor research, development, engineering and manufacturing. The passage of the bill and the surge of investment in such facilities takes place as the U.S. shores-up many essential industries at a time of supply chain woes, geopolitical challenges and economic instability.