Ground broken on $84M semiconductor campus at WestGate

November 20, 2022

Monday, November 21, 2022 10:18 AM EDTUpdated: Monday, November 21, 2022 11:53 AM EDT
By Alex Brown, Assistant Managing Editor
(photo courtesy of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s office)
ODON, Ind. - State and local officials broke ground Monday morning on an $84 million microelectronics campus at WestGate@Crane Technology Park in Odon. The Indiana Economic Development Corp. says WestGate One will accelerate the re-shoring of semiconductor research and manufacturing in the U.S. The campus has already secured commitments from four semiconductor companies that plan to invest a total of $300 million in Indiana and create nearly 550 jobs. The 10-acre campus is being supported with up to $10 million in matching funds from the Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, or READI. The location is part of the Indiana Uplands region, which received $30 million in READI funding last December. “Today’s announcement is the result of tremendous collaboration among many local, regional and state partners over the past decade,” Joe Carley, interim CEO of the nonprofit Uplands Science and Technology Foundation, said in written remarks. “With the rise of our region’s defense sector and NSWC Crane as a national leader in emerging technologies, Indiana Uplands is growing as a vibrant hub for high-tech innovation.” Illinois-based NHanced Semiconductors plans to invest more than $236 million to build and equip a 100,000-square-foot fabrication facility it says will be the first built specifically for advanced packaging. The company says it will create up to 413 jobs by the end of 2028, and the positions should offer average salaries higher than 250% of the Daviess County average. NHanced Semiconductors plans to move into the space in mid-2024. Any remaining space in the building will be leased to other industry companies. Arizona-based Everspin Technologies (NYSE: MRAM) says it will establish a 10,000-square-foot fabrication and R&D facility on the campus, and create up to 35 high-wage jobs by the end of 2027. The company says the facility will allow it to increase production and fulfillment of discrete and embedded Magnetoresistive RAM, or MRAM, which it describes as critical to next-generation defense applications. Construction is slated to begin next year. Minnesota-based Trusted Semiconductor Solutions (TSS) plans to invest more than $34 million to lease and equip a 10,000-square-foot space at WestGate One and create up to 40 jobs by the end of 2027. The facility will be used to expand TSS’ ability to design and deliver integrated circuits, radiation-hardened products, and electronic systems for the military and defense, space and industrial markets. TSS plans to begin operations in mid-2023. Lastly, Tennessee-based Reliable MicroSystems, which provides radiation effects modeling for large contractors, says it will invest $7.3 million to expand to Indiana. The company expects to begin operations next year and plans to add 61 jobs. “Indiana’s has a rich tradition of advanced manufacturing that continues to push new technologies and innovations forward,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said. “Today’s announcements solidify our Semiconductor Corridor strategy. With a growing microelectronics and CHIP industry, Indiana will be at the forefront of creating critical components to ensure both economic and national security.” The IEDC plans to commit up to $11 million in conditional tax credits and training grants for NHanced Semiconductors, which the company will not be eligible to claim until Hoosier workers are hired for the new jobs. Additionally, the IEDC says it will commit up to $10 million in redevelopment tax credits for the project. The IEDC also plans to commit up to nearly $1.5 million for Everspin Technologies, up to nearly $1.9 million for Reliable MicroSystems, and up to nearly $1.6 million for TSS. The incentives must still be approved by the IEDC Board of Directors. The WestGate One project is the latest in a series of announcements this year related to semiconductor production in Indiana. In May, the IEDC announced the launch of the Accelerating Microelectronics Production & Development (AMPD) task force as part of the inaugural Indiana Global Economic Summit. The following month, Taiwan-based MediaTek detailed plans to establish a chip design center at the Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration in Purdue University’s Discovery Park District. In July, Minnesota-based SkyWater Technology (Nasdaq: SKYT) said it would build a $1.8 billion, 600,000-square-foot semiconductor R&D and production facility in West Lafayette, and create 750 jobs over five years. The growth in semiconductor production in Indiana follows the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which was spearheaded by Senator Todd Young (R-IN).