Chandler officials announced on August 6 that Applied Materials, ASML, and EMD Electronics are expanding operations in the city’s business parks, creating a combined total of approximately 500 new jobs in the semiconductor sector. The expansions, involving investments exceeding $228 million, aim to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor supply chain through increased manufacturing, research, and engineering capacity, according to company statements and local sources.
The expansion is expected to create up to 200 new manufacturing, research and development, and service jobs over the next five years, according to the company’s statement. Applied Materials is collaborating with Apple and Texas Instruments to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor supply chain, including chipmaking equipment production in Austin, Texas, but the exact scope of the Chandler facility expansion was not detailed in the announcement.
Applied Materials, Inc. announced on August 6 a $200 million investment to expand its Chandler facility, aiming to manufacture critical components for semiconductor equipment.
Netherlands-based ASML signed a seven-year sublease for a 38,000-square-foot office at 2625 W. Geronimo Place in Chandler’s Price Corridor, according to Brittney Wolff, ASML U.S. corporate communications manager. The company currently employs 300 people in Chandler and plans to increase its workforce to 400 within the next few years. Hiring for dozens of engineering positions began this summer, focusing on specialties such as lasers, accelerometers, optics, servos, and control systems. Tenant improvements are expected to be completed later this year, with ASML scheduled to move into the new building in December, Wolff said.
EMD Electronics is investing $28 million in a new facility located off the 202 and McQueen Road in Chandler, officials confirmed. The facility will house approximately 100 technicians, engineers, and leadership staff for the company’s Delivery Systems and Services business. The new site, expected to be completed by spring 2023, will serve as a training and resource center for MEGASYS and field-service technicians, according to the company’s careers page. The Chandler location is about a 10-minute drive from EMD’s Tempe facility in Arizona State University Research Park and 20 minutes from Sky Harbor International Airport.
Intel Corporation announced a separate expansion plan involving a $20 billion investment to build two new factories in Chandler. The project is projected to create 3,000 high-tech jobs and 3,000 construction jobs, according to a report by FOX 10 Phoenix. The expansion will increase Intel’s total workforce in Arizona to nearly 16,000 employees. Intel’s CEO has emphasized expanding manufacturing capacity and outsourcing production as part of the company’s strategy amid ongoing global semiconductor supply challenges.
The semiconductor job market in Chandler reflects these expansions, with approximately 670 semiconductor engineering positions currently available, according to local job listings. Open roles include system engineers, FPGA engineers, and specialists in flip chip assembly technology. Minimum qualifications for these positions generally require a master’s degree in engineering related to very-large-scale integration (VLSI) design, materials science, or semiconductor manufacturing, along with at least four years of experience. Preferred candidates have hands-on experience in flip chip packaging development and are expected to lead technical specifications, design assessments, and new product introduction programs.
Stephanie Romero, public information officer for the City of Chandler, confirmed the city’s ongoing support for semiconductor industry growth and noted that the ASML sublease in the Chandler Freeways Crossing business park is part of the company’s strategy to expand its engineering workforce locally. The combined investments by Applied Materials, ASML, and EMD Electronics follow Intel’s larger-scale expansion and contribute to Chandler’s position as a growing hub for semiconductor manufacturing and innovation.
These developments come amid a broader push to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor supply chain in response to global shortages and supply disruptions. The expansions in Chandler are part of a nationwide effort to increase domestic manufacturing, research, and engineering capacity in the semiconductor sector. Officials and company representatives have highlighted the strategic importance of these investments for both regional economic growth and national technology infrastructure.
Comments are closed.