Edwards Vacuum, a global leader in vacuum and abatement equipment for the semiconductor industry, and a major supplier to semiconductor manufacturers, is making significant progress in the construction of the first phase of its $319 million dry pump manufacturing facility in New York State. Part of the Atlas Copco Group, Edwards Vacuum is building the facility in the Genesee County town of Alabama, New York. On August 6, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight toured the site, located at the Western New York Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park accompanied by Edwards Vacuum executives.
Edwards Vacuum’s decision to invest in New York State followed passage of New York’s Green CHIPS legislation and the federal CHIPS and Science Act, which together spurred Micron’s $100 billion commitment to Central New York which is expected to create nearly 50,000 jobs as well as GlobalFoundries $11.6 billion expansion in the Capital Region which will create more than 1,500 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs. The company announced the project in November 2022.
“Edwards Vacuum’s commitment to Upstate New York will create 600 good-paying jobs and attract additional investment in both Western New York and the Finger Lakes regions,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “Between New York’s Green CHIPS Program and the federal CHIPS and Science Act, we’re empowering a manufacturing resurgence in our state, ensuring we’re positioned as a global hub for innovation and the epicenter of semiconductor manufacturing nationwide.”
Schumer said, “This milestone marks major progress toward the opening of Edwards Vacuum’s new dry pump manufacturing facility in Genesee County as a key addition to making Upstate NY a global center for the semiconductor industry. A vast amount of the world’s computer chips are made using Edwards Vacuum equipment, and today Genesee County becomes the beating heart of those efforts for America. From Micron to GlobalFoundries, all the major semiconductor companies in New York and across America need the vacuum technology like Edwards makes for their chip fabs. I urged Edwards Vacuum to expand in Western NY because I knew that it would be a win for Edwards Vacuum, a win for Western NY’s economy, and a win for America’s semiconductor supply chain, and today that is becoming a reality.”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Edwards Vacuum continues to make tremendous progress on its new state-of-the-art facility that will create hundreds of good-paying jobs and generate millions of dollars in investments. The future of domestic semiconductor manufacturing runs through New York State, which continues to grow as a global hub for advanced manufacturing, research and development.”
The technology produced at Edwards Vacuum’s newest facility is a vital component to controlling the highly sensitive environment of semiconductor manufacturing processes. Construction on the $127 million first phase of Edwards 240,000 square-foot campus will include manufacturing, warehouse, and administration facilities, with a capacity to produce 10,000 dry pumps per year. The all-electric facility will strive for LEED certification, with a majority of the power generated via hydroelectricity.
Empire State Development has awarded Edwards Vacuum up to $21 million through a combination of performance-based Excelsior Jobs Tax Credits and Investment Tax Credits in exchange for creating 600 jobs, and an additional $1 million to support workforce development efforts and the training of a diverse and inclusive workforce. Additionally, the New York Power Authority is supporting the project through a 4.9-megawatt (MW) low-cost Niagara hydropower allocation and a 2.1 MW of High Load Factor power allocation that NYPA will procure for Edwards on the energy market. Low-cost Niagara hydropower is available for companies within a 30-mile radius of the Power Authority’s Niagara Power Project or businesses in Chautauqua County.
New York is home to a robust semiconductor industry which is currently home to more than 150 semiconductor and supply chain companies that employ over 34,000 New Yorkers. The industry is continuing to expand with major investments from semiconductor businesses and supply chain companies like Micron, GlobalFoundries, AMD, Edwards Vacuum, MenloMicro and TTM Technologies. In fact, in the last two years chip companies have announced over $112 billion in planned capital investments in New York, and one in four U.S. made chips will be produced within 350 miles of upstate New York.
Mark Masse, President & CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center said, “We congratulate Edwards Vacuum for today’s milestone and celebrate the investment they are making at STAMP to grow Genesee County’s economy and strengthens New York’s position as an emerging leader in the semiconductor and semiconductor supply chain industries. We look forward to continuing to work with Edwards Vacuum as the company builds here and just as important recruit the talent they are seeking to make this facility a leader in the semiconductor supply chain industry.”
Greater Rochester Enterprise President & CEO Matt Hurlbutt said, “Edwards Vacuum has made significant progress toward the construction of its dry pump manufacturing facility at the STAMP mega site in Genesee County. This progress marks an important milestone in solidifying Edwards’ ties to the Greater Rochester, NY region’s robust advanced manufacturing and semiconductor sectors. Greater Rochester Enterprise remains committed to supporting Edwards’ success by fostering strong relationships between the company’s leadership and key stakeholders in business, academia, and the community. Combine this exceptional connectivity with top-tier talent, access to low-cost hydropower, and world-class R&D resources, and it’s no wonder Edwards chose to expand in the Greater Rochester, NY, region.”
