Gov. Greg Abbott awards $3.08M semiconductor grant to Tokyo Electron for R&D facility
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott awarded $3.08 million to Tokyo Electron U.S. Holdings, Inc. on Thursday as part of the state's Semiconductor Innovation Fund.
Tokyo Electron U.S. Holdings, Inc. (TEL U.S.) is a subsidiary of global semiconductor equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL).
The money will go toward TEL U.S.'s technical training and research and development (R&D) facility in Southeast Austin. That facility is expected to create over $30 million in capital investment, according to the announcement.
'Tokyo Electron's more than $30 million investment builds on our state's leadership in the semiconductor industry and will help bolster semiconductor-related job training to prepare thousands of Texans for better job and bigger paycheck opportunities," Abbott said in the announcement.
TEL U.S. has had its North American headquarters in Austin for more than 30 years. The company sold its Southeast Austin campus in September 2023 and moved its headquarters to a new 15-story, office building at 401 S. First St. near Auditorium Shores at Town Lake Metropolitan Park, which opened last month.
TEL U.S. is reportedly also looking into opening an office in Taylor, where Samsung Austin Semiconductor is currently building its multibillion-dollar semiconductor fab.
Last year, TEL U.S. announced that it would move its training and R&D operations to a 100,000 square-foot warehouse located off of Southeast Austin's Metro Center Drive, a little over five miles from the company's headquarters. According to Abbott's Thursday announcement, the facility will train an estimated 2,200 employees per year using virtual and augmented reality training methods.
'TEL U.S. is honored to receive this funding from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund to enhance our research and development efforts in the state we've called home for over 30 years,' said TEL U.S. executive vice president Rick Turner said. 'This grant is a testament to the State of Texas' commitment to leading the production of domestic semiconductor technology, and we look forward to the progress in our industry that funding like this will enable.'
The Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund was established through the Texas CHIPS Act, which Abbott signed in 2023. The fund aims to invest in semiconductor research, design and manufacturing in Texas.Abbott has previously awarded funding to Elon Musk's SpaceX, Austin-based Silicon Labs, Korean Dongjin Semichem, Intelligent Epitaxy Technology and KoMiCo Technology.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Gov. Abbott awards Tokyo Electron with semiconductor grant
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