SkyWater unveils plans to build $1.8 bn chip facility in Indiana

U.S. semiconductor manufacturer SkyWater Technology announced plans to invest $1.8 billion for a chip research and production facility in Indiana, in partnership with the state and Purdue University.
China semiconductor industry“This endeavor to bolster our chip fabrication facilities will rely on funding from the CHIPS Act,” said Thomas Sonderman, chief executive of Bloomington, Minnesota-based SkyWater.

“Federal investment will enable SkyWater to more quickly expand our efforts to address the need for strategic reshoring of semiconductor manufacturing.”

SkyWater expects the ground breaking for the new facilities to happen in 2023, but the timing would depend on whether the chip legislation is passed.

The Indiana facility will be located on the Purdue campus in West Lafayette, SkyWater said, adding that the location would help the company and its customers benefit from collaboration with the university and its pipeline of talent.

SkyWater produces semiconductors at its Minnesota factory for customers, including automotive, aerospace, biomedical, cloud and computing firms and the U.S. government. It also has an advanced packaging facility for chips in Kissimmee, Florida which is ramping up production.