TAYLOR, TEXAS — Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has unveiled plans to build a $17 billion semiconductor manufacturing facility in Taylor, about 35 miles northeast of Austin. The facility will manufacture products based on advanced process technologies for application in areas such as mobile, 5G, high-performance computing and artificial intelligence.
South Korea-based Samsung says the project marks its largest-ever investment in the U.S. and will improve supply chain resilience of crucial logic chips. The $17 billion investment includes buildings, property improvements, machinery and equipment.
“As we add a new facility in Taylor, Samsung is laying the groundwork for another important chapter in our future,” says Kinam Kim, vice chairman and CEO of Samsung’s device solutions division. “With greater manufacturing capacity, we will be able to better serve the needs of our customers and contribute to the stability of the global semiconductor supply chain.”
Construction is expected to begin in the first half of 2022 with completion slated for the second half of 2024. The Taylor site will span more than 53 million square feet and is expected to serve as a key location for Samsung’s global semiconductor manufacturing capacity along with its latest production line in Pyeongtaek, South Korea.
Samsung says it based its Taylor site selection on multiple factors, including the local semiconductor ecosystem, infrastructure stability, local government support and community development opportunities. In particular, the proximity to Samsung’s current manufacturing site in Austin will enable the two locations to share infrastructure and resources.
“Samsung’s new semiconductor manufacturing facility in Taylor will bring countless opportunities for hardworking Central Texans and their families, and will play a major role in our state’s continued exceptionalism in the semiconductor industry,” says Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
This latest expansion of Samsung’s U.S. presence is expected to create more than 2,000 high-tech jobs directly and thousands of related jobs once the facility is fully operating. Samsung also plans to create a skills center for the Taylor Independent School District in order to help students develop skills for future careers as well as provide internships and recruiting opportunities.
Samsung’s total investment in the U.S. now surpasses $47 billion. The company first began operations in the U.S. in 1978 and now employs more than 20,000 people across the country.
— Kristin Hiller