Cree | Wolfspeed‘s $1 billion wafer fabrication facility at the Marcy Nanocenter at the SUNY Polytechnic Institute campus near Utica has reached the topping off stage.
Eric Gertier, Empire State Development’s acting commissioner, with executive members from Cree | Wolfspeed, Oneida County and Empire State Development, joined guests guests in commemorating the placement of the final steel beam atop the new fab, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office said in an Oct. 19 statement. This symbolizes a major construction milestone for the project, which remains on schedule for production to begin in 2022.
German high-tech cleanroom specialist Exyte is the project’s general contractor.
Located at the Marcy Nanocenter upstate, the site plan features three primary buildings: a fabrication facility, an office and a central utility building. The site is a 450-acre (182 ha) greenfield site developed for semiconductor manufacturing facilities.
The Cree project will be located on 56.25 acres (22.7 ha) at the northern end of the 398-acre (161 ha) nanocentre site, which has room for two more fabrication facilities.
“This milestone is proof of our commitment to the Mohawk Valley and is another step towards strengthening the research and scientific assets that New York needs to attract high-tech industries and build back better,” Cuomo said. “Cree | Wolfspeed has already proven to be a great partner, and we are proud to have them establish roots in the region as we continue to support and grow the advanced manufacturing infrastructure of New York State.”
Cree | Wolfspeed has committed to investing at least $1 billion through the construction of the fab, the statement said..
New York State is providing $500 million in performance-based, capital grants from Empire State Development to reimburse a portion of Cree | Wolfspeed’s costs of construction and fitting out the new facility and acquiring and installing machinery and equipment, as well as $1 million in Excelsior Jobs tax credits.