The announcement that Wolfspeed will build a $5 billion factory to make wafers for computer chips in Chatham County was considered so important that the White House sent out a press release about it on Friday, Sept. 9.
The site is in Chatham County, close to Siler City, and reportedly will be receiving water and sewer service from Asheboro, but it has a lot of Greensboro connections.
The site is right down the road from the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite in Randolph County where Toyota is building a battery plant.
And the megasite where the Wolfspeed plant will be built is owned by D.H. Griffin of D.H. Griffin Companies in Greensboro and Tim Booras.
Also North Carolina A&T State University is involved.
In the announcement that Chatham County had been chosen for the new plant, President and CEO of Wolfspeed Gregg Lowe said, “Wolfspeed is the industry leader in supplying materials required to meet the accelerating demand for next generation semiconductors and creating a more sustainable future for all. Demand for our products continues to grow at a rapid pace, and the industry continues to be supply constrained. Expanding out Materials production will further our market leadership and allow us to better serve the growing needs of our customers. We are particularly excited and proud to not only expand Wolfspeed’s footprint in our home state of North Carolina, but also further our relationship with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University to nurture our best-in-class talent pool.”
Wolfspeed has committed over $4 million to NC A&T to create the Wolfspeed Endowed Scholars Program and plans to work with the university to establish comprehensive education and training curricula and cutting-edge research and innovation programs.
The facility is receiving incentive packages from state, county and local governments that totals about $1 billion and is expected to create 1,800 new jobs.
The White House press release notes that the Wolfspeed plant represents the largest economic development investment in the history of the state of North Carolina.
I assume Biden is excited as this is a result of the funding for the industry bring more chip manufacturing back onshore. Great to see manufacturing return to our area. Making America Great Again. Great job Biden!
I thank Biden for nothing. If he stays out of the way for two years we may stand a chance. If he gets credit for a chip factory then he also gets credit for gas and food prices plus the real inflation of up to 25-30%, not the fake number.
It is a testament to free enterprise, that a dealer is scrap metal can make enough money to be a part of this project.
Isn’t this chance to succeed what an American would want? OPPORTUNITY!
This project notably NOT located in Guilford County. This may be an opportunity for a resident of Guilford county to work in, and move to, Chatham County; or Randolph County. Go for it.
Seems everyone needs a little big city sauce these days
My experience in semiconductor manufacturing makes me concerned about ground water contamination. I would hope that the company has a good plan to contain process chemicals and their waste.
Anyone wonder why Wolfspeed would select Chatham County for this chip plant? Chip manufacturing is a big polluter of the environment. It uses an enormous amount of electricity and water. I doubt Wolfspeed received any pushback from politicians asking questions about what it would do to the environment. Did anyone speak with the Arizona chip plant? Maybe Wolfspeed was correct that local politicians would be so busy patting themselves on the back that the politicians would not be asking questions about pollution. What’s more, why would a money-making company like Wolfspeed be entitled to taxpayer money?
This is a Materials fab, not a chip fab. We will be making SiC wafers. I have been working in microchip fabs since the mid 90’s. We are the most regulated manufacturing on earth. Don’t get worried about ANY toxic contamination. I will be part of the team that makes sure that wont happen! This will be one of the safest manufacturing plants on earth, you can count on it! It will also produce 1800+ jobs and another 3000+ support jobs in the community. This will do nothing but good things for the area! Be happy and prosper..
Yes, wafers for chips. The heavy use of water and electricity is pollution, too. Jobs are important but at what cost to the environment? A job today, no drinking water tomorrow. Why must jobs be a tradeoff? Where are the employees who will be employed in the high paying jobs, imported from California or Durham? Is this just a job shuffle? Your reply above is for posterity. We will see.
thanks for clarification? SiC wafers are not ‘chips’? wafers vs chips? please stop using food metafores when herding electrons.
I hope you live up to that commitment and we all get to share the economic benefits along with clean air and water to leave to our grandkids. We’ve got no planet B, so let’s ensure we value our future more than convenience.
Please all the biden lovers remember
Microsoft in Winston-Salem