Governor Josh Shapiro and EMD Electronics have announced a $300 million investment in semiconductor specialty gases manufacturing in Schuylkill County.
Shapiro visited the site in Rush Township earlier this week.
This investment will create nearly 200 jobs, including 68 permanent, union positions. EMD Electronics, a global leader in semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, plans to build a new 96,500-square-foot facility, which will become the largest integrated specialty gases facility in the world.
The new facility will enable EMD Electronics to double its production capacity of tungsten hexafluoride and nitrogen trifluoride, both critical components in semiconductor manufacturing, to meet the surging demand in the electronics and semiconductor industries.
Shapiro says, “We have enormous potential here in Pennsylvania to be an economic leader and drive innovation on a global scale.” He emphasized the importance of investing in projects like this to attract more businesses and jobs to the region.
EMD Electronics, the North American electronics business of Merck KGaA in Darmstadt, Germany, is one of the top 10 manufacturing employers in Schuylkill County. The company produces chemical-mechanical planarization slurries, ultra-thin dielectric and metal precursors of film, formulated cleans and etching products, and delivery equipment for the semiconductor and electronics display industries.
The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) has proposed a funding package for the project, including a $1,062,500 Pennsylvania First grant and a $122,000 workforce development grant to train workers. EMD Electronics has committed to creating 68 new jobs and retaining 289 existing, full-time jobs at its Schuylkill County location within the next five years. Approximately 120 jobs will be created for the construction of the new facility.
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