In the rapidly expanding semiconductor industry of Phoenix, technical excellence creates unique advancement opportunities. As one of the first semiconductor companies in Arizona, ASM has witnessed how the region fosters an inclusive environment where grit, innovation and expertise drive career growth. Technical Excellence Opens Doors The semiconductor industry offers … [More]
Applied Materials Expands Arizona Footprint with $200M Investment
Applied Materials, one of the world's largest semiconductor equipment providers, is doubling down on American manufacturing and Arizona is once again at the center of the story. The company announced it will invest more than $200 million in Chandler to build a new advanced manufacturing facility focused on producing critical components for the tools that enable chipmaking. The … [More]
Arizona’s Semiconductor Boom Demands Talent – ASU and SEMI Step Up
As billions pour into Arizona’s semiconductor industry, the need for skilled talent is no longer a future concern. It’s a present constraint. With more than $200 billion in chip manufacturing investments reshaping the state’s economy, demand for engineers, technicians and specialized operators is outpacing supply. To help close that gap, SEMI, the global industry association … [More]
Arizona’s Semiconductor Surge and the Workforce Struggle Beneath It
The semiconductor industry — foundational to everything from smartphones to fighter jets — is facing a widening talent gap. As global demand accelerates, driven by artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and national security needs, the shortage of skilled workers has become one of the most urgent threats to stalling our innovative ability to lead in defense and … [More]
AI-Fueled Factory Brings National Security and Manufacturing Jobs to Mesa
A new kind of factory is coming to Mesa — designed not just for production, but for national resilience. Hadrian, a California-based company using artificial intelligence to modernize manufacturing, has announced plans for a 270,000-square-foot advanced facility in the city's Pecos Advanced Manufacturing Zone, known as Factory 3. The project is estimated to cost $200 … [More]
Amkor’s $2 Billion Bet on Arizona Comes with a Commitment to Air Quality
Imagining the future of Arizona’s semiconductor industry evokes pictures of clean rooms and cutting-edge tools. However, Amkor Technology also wants clean air to be in that picture. The Tempe-based company, already one of the world’s largest providers of outsourced semiconductor packaging and testing, plans to invest $2 billion in a new advanced facility in Peoria. Two … [More]
Navigating Arizona’s Semiconductor Supply Chain
Strategic alignment impacted by tariffs, AI and more
The U.S. Commerce Department's Section 232 investigation into semiconductor imports has significant implications for Arizona's burgeoning semiconductor ecosystem. As the state advances its position as a domestic semiconductor manufacturing hub, the investigation's outcomes could reshape the landscape for local manufacturers and suppliers. Strategic alignment with federal … [More]
Beyond the Fab: Arizona’s Chip Industry Creates Opportunity across Sectors
When a single industry grows fast enough, it doesn’t just expand. It accelerates everything around it. That’s what’s happening in Arizona, where the semiconductor surge is lifting more than just manufacturers. Kiterocket, a Phoenix-based communications agency, was recently named agency of record for SEMI, the global association representing more than 3,000 semiconductor and … [More]
Chemical Logistics Firm Anchors Arizona’s Growing Supply Chain
In Casa Grande, a new kind of infrastructure is taking shape, less visible than fabs and battery plants but just as vital to Arizona's high-tech economy. NRS Logios America, a global leader in chemical logistics, officially opened its first U.S. logistics facility in late May: a $90-million chemical logistics park designed to meet the rising demand for safe and reliable … [More]
Collaboration Fuels Arizona’s Semiconductor Success
Arizona is taking center stage for semiconductor development
Elected officials and semiconductor industry leaders gathered in April at Arizona Commerce Authority's Semi Breakfast Fueling Innovation: How Arizona is leading the charge in next generation semiconductor development, a forum hosted by the ACA to discuss the importance of semiconductor development in building a resilient Arizona economy. The message was clear: Semiconductor … [More]
Pipeline Connects and Arizona PBS Team Up to Bring Career Pathways to Life
For students weighing their futures and job seekers navigating new career directions, the journey often begins with a question: What does that job really look like? A new partnership between Arizona PBS and nonprofit Pipeline Connects provides some much-needed answers with a cinematic twist. The two organizations have joined forces to launch a video series that spotlights … [More]
Can a Customer-First Culture Reignite U.S. Chipmaking?
Intel’s new CEO brings a track record of rebuilding from within
Expectations were high when Lip-Bu Tan stepped on stage at Intel Vision 2025. The semiconductor giant has fallen from grace, ceding technological leadership to global competitors and watching its foundry business hemorrhage money. But Tan, Intel's new CEO and a well-known figure in venture capital and design automation, didn't shy away from the company's shortcomings. Instead, … [More]
Lucid Expands Arizona Footprint with Nikola Facility Deal
Lucid Group is accelerating its presence in Arizona after acquiring key facilities from bankrupt electric truck maker Nikola Corporation. The $30-million deal, announced April 10, includes Nikola's Coolidge manufacturing plant and a Phoenix facility formerly used for headquarters and R&D. With it, Lucid gains more than 884,000 square feet of space, along with high-end … [More]
Arizona’s Space Age
Arizona already sits at the center of America's semiconductor surge. Now, it may be charting a new trajectory — straight into space. From research labs to manufacturing floors, the state has become a powerhouse in advanced chipmaking. Governor Katie Hobbs reinstated the Arizona Space Commission in February, hoping it will help push the state to the forefront of the rapidly … [More]
Semiconductors, Data Centers and the Power Strain
Is Arizona ready for what’s next?
Arizona is at the center of two of the biggest technological transformations of the decade: the semiconductor boom and the rapid rise of AI-driven data centers. Together, they are reshaping the state’s economy, infrastructure and energy grid. Meta’s $1-billion data center in Mesa is one of the latest in a wave of large-scale facilities being built across the country to … [More]
What the President’s Speech Means for Arizona’s Semiconductor Future
The skyline of Arizona's semiconductor industry is changing — again. President Trump took to the stage before Congress, hailing the investment as a game-changer for American chipmaking. Although his speech had plenty of headline moments, one of the biggest takeaways for Arizona was Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s massive new investment in Phoenix. This move could … [More]
Does Arizona Need a New Semiconductor Identity?
“Arizona’s Silicon Desert” has been a fitting label for the state’s semiconductor industry — a nod to both its thriving tech sector and arid landscape. With more than $100 billion in investments, Arizona has cemented its role in the global semiconductor supply chain. But as the sector expands, some industry leaders argue the nickname no longer captures the full picture. Now, a … [More]
Arizona’s Semiconductor Industry Prepares for Tariffs
Will growth stay on track?
Arizona’s semiconductor industry is facing a new variable in its growth equation: tariffs. With billions of dollars on the line, the industry is bracing for what comes next. If higher import taxes on materials from Mexico, China and Canada take effect, chip manufacturers must adapt — and fast. Even as TSMC ramps up production of four-nanometer chips in Phoenix, the … [More]
