U.S. Tech-Component Developers Ratchet Up Domestic Production

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--U.S. civic and industrial leaders have spent the past few years pushing aggressively for stronger domestic production of key electronic components, such as semiconductors and the equipment used in renewable-energy technology. A quick look at some of the projects set to break ground in the near term paints an encouraging picture for this trend. Industrial Info is tracking more than $30 billion worth of projects in the sector for semiconductors, green-energy elements and other tech components that are set to begin construction in first-quarter 2025, more than 85% of which is attributed to plant expansions.

Click on the image at right for a graph detailing the top five companies for U.S. tech-component projects set to kick off from January through March, by total investment value.

The production of semiconductors is a hot topic among domestic manufacturers, who often source this key electronic component from developers based overseas. As part of a broader effort to bring semiconductor production to U.S. shores, Microchip Technology Incorporated (NASDAQ:MCHP) (Chandler, Arizona) expects to begin construction in the coming months on an $880 million expansion of its semiconductor fabrication plant in Colorado Springs, Colorado, almost 90% of which will be spent on new assembly lines and equipment.

Microchip Technology touted $90 million in funding from the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which is intended, in part, to provide federal funds for the domestic development of semiconductors. The company expects the expansion will allow it to enlarge the size of its semiconductor wafers from six to eight inches. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Industrial Manufacturing Project and Plant databases can learn more from a detailed project report and plant profile.

"The CHIPS and Science Act is already making a positive impact on our business through the Investment Tax Credit, and we are seeking capacity expansion grants for several of our semiconductor factories, including our Colorado Springs factory," said Ganesh Moorthy, the chief executive officer of Microchip Technology, in a press release from last year announcing the expansion.

Other semiconductor projects under development with potential kickoffs in the first quarter include HP Incorporated's (NYSE:HPQ) (Palo Alto, California) proposed expansion of its factory Corvallis, Oregon, which produces microfluidic semiconductors used in the life sciences sector of the Pharmaceutical & Biotech Industry. Earlier this year, the company signed preliminary terms for a $50 million award from the CHIPS and Science Act to support the development.

"This proposed investment provides HP with an opportunity to modernize and expand our facility to further advance our microfluidics technology, which is the study of the behavior and control of fluid on a microscopic scale," HP said in a press release. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report and plant profile.

In the market for renewable-energy components, two foreign-based companies are developing projects on U.S. shores. Hithium Tech USA Incorporated, a subsidiary of Xiamen Hithium Energy Storage Technology Company Limited (Fujian, China), is preparing for a $100 million renovation of its battery energy-storage system (BESS) and module assembly plant in Forney, Texas, while Heliene Incorporated (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario) is readying for a $54 million renovation of its solar-module plant in Rogers, Minnesota.

Hithium expects its renovation will allow it to increase its U.S. production of BESS units to 10 gigawatt-hours per year, while Heliene expects to boost its production of solar modules for the U.S. market to 550 megawatts (MW) per year. Subscribers can read detailed reports on the Texas and Minnesota projects.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project and Plant databases can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.

Subscribers can click here for a full list of reports for projects in the semiconductors and computers segment that are set to begin construction in first-quarter 2025.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).