(The Center Square) – Three companies have had their Oregon CHIPS Act contracts finalized, Governor Tina Kotek announced. The projects, which will expand semiconductor manufacturing in the state, will begin this month.
“Oregon’s leadership in semiconductor research and manufacturing is a catalyst for our economy,” Kotek said. “These projects will create new jobs in a variety of fields, promote workforce development in counties throughout the state, and will support these companies in obtaining additional resources from the federal government to compound the impact they’re making in Oregon.”
The state will be offering funding to three companies. HP will receive $9.5 million for its Benton County facilities, Microchip will get $11 million, and Intel will get $115 million; Intel’s largest global campus is in Washington County.
“These awards serve to move the proposed projects forward and make them even more competitive to secure federal funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce,” a release said.
Oregon enacted its CHIPS Act in 2023, putting aside $190 million to help companies secure grants and loans. The primary idea was that the funding would help companies unlock larger amounts of federal funding.
The news comes as Microchip’s Oregon location is set to receive a $72 million award from the Biden-Harris Administration to boost its semiconductor manufacturing and research work.
The company has committed to partnerships with Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center + Rosemary Anderson High School for student internships and to help develop an advanced manufacturing apprenticeship program.
“The new partnership announced today between Microchip and POIC and RAHS is the type of collaboration between industry and community-based organizations that we need to truly bridge talent and opportunity,” State Representative Janelle Bynum, D-Clackamas, said. “This sets a new industry standard for labor development investment, which is essential for building the next generation of Oregon’s semiconductor workforce.”
Additionally, the state plans to allocate another $50 million of the program’s funding during the 2024 short session, though its recipients have not been announced.
