LANSING Mich. – The bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act signed into law by President Joe Biden a year ago made unprecedented investments in domestic manufacturing, specifically in the semiconductor and clean energy sectors.
As a global epicenter of advanced manufacturing and home to one-fifth of American automotive production, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the state is “poised to win investments” to support the growth of the domestic semiconductor technology and create good-paying, high-quality jobs for Michiganders.
“Michigan’s legendary manufacturing heritage and bold investments in workforce and economic development have us in a strong position to build the future of cars, chips and clean energy,” Whitmer said. “One year after the CHIPS and Science Act, we are continuing to demonstrate our leadership with more battery plants, semiconductor facilities, and innovative workforce programs.
“Our know-how and deep industry roots put us in a strong position to be a global leader in so many emerging industries, backed by the powerful incentives in the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act,” she added. “Together, we will continue getting things done to help anyone ‘make it’ in Michigan.”
Michigan Semiconductor wins
- Mersen recently announced it will increase its semiconductor material production in Michigan in the latest example of the semiconductor industry’s continued growth in the state. The news builds on the May announcement of a new public-private partnership with semiconductor company KLA, Belgium-based technology innovation hub imec, the University of Michigan, Washtenaw Community College and General Motors that will establish a global semiconductor center of excellence in Michigan.
- The Semiconductor Talent and Automotive Research (STAR) initiative will focus on developing the talent base and infrastructure necessary to accelerate advanced semiconductor applications for electrification and autonomous mobility and move the automotive industry forward. The plan establishes a center of excellence in Michigan to formalize support for the development of the semiconductor industry workforce as well as the advancement of autonomous automotive solutions and electric vehicle research.
- In March, California-based indie Semiconductor announced it is investing $12.5 million and creating up to 180 high-wage jobs in Auburn Hills.
What’s Next
Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature allocated $350 million to launch the Make it in Michigan Competitiveness Fund as part of the Make it in Michigan budget. This will allow Michigan to capture more federal resources to power domestic manufacturing, infrastructure to improve quality of life, and install new clean energy resources to lower costs for Michiganders, grow the economy, and bring more projects home.
