Michigan governor shades Ohio in calling for semiconductor fabs to be built there

Yahoo

5 days ago

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Michigan is raising another competition with Ohio as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer calls for the state to get into the semiconductor game.
Whitmer, a Democrat, called for Michigan to secure advanced manufacturing investments, specifically a semiconductor manufacturing facility. Speaking in Flint, Whitmer lightly called out Ohio in her May 21 remarks, as the Buckeye state has secured a number of major tech manufacturing projects and data centers, including a $28 billion investment from Intel in New Albany.
'Let's add more tools to our toolbox to bring jobs home and keep them here,' Whitmer said. 'There are some on the far left and the far right in Lansing who say we should unilaterally disarm. Just get rid of these tools and let those jobs go to Georgia, Kentucky, Arizona or, God forbid, Ohio.'
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The Midwest is generally emerging as a leader in semiconductor manufacturing, with Ohio at the helm. The market was spurred forward by the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, a bipartisan federal program founded under former President Joe Biden that allocated funds to encourage domestic semiconductor manufacturing.
Intel is among the recipients of CHIPS Act funding, promised $7.865 billion for projects in Ohio, Arizona, New Mexico and Oregon. However, Intel has only received $2.2 billion of its promised funding, none of which was allocated under President Donald Trump. Trump has been a strong CHIPS Act critic, although domestic semiconductor manufacturing is still a priority for him.
Whitmer said she has spoken with Trump about establishing a fab in Michigan, and she said her goal is to secure a project by the end of next year. The state is not starting from scratch; according to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the semiconductor industry contributes $4.6 billion in gross regional product to Michigan. The state has already attracted multi-million-dollar semiconductor projects.
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Even in organizations that cross state lines, Ohio leads the Midwest semiconductor industry, with Michigan often second. Formed in 2022, the Midwest Semiconductor Network joins more than 30 universities to develop semiconductor research and workforce, 18 of which are in Ohio. Michigan has five partner universities, the second-highest number among the five states represented.
Michigan and Ohio are both considered among the top manufacturing states in many rankings, although there is no definitive list. Under Whitmer's goal, the Midwest would gain another semiconductor project and further its role in the industry.
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