By Brent Ruffner
Twitter: @AzNewsmedia

The dominoes continue to fall near the future home of the Taiwanese chipmaker and its new fab site at Loop 303 and Interstate 17 in north Phoenix.

Sunlit Chemical, a leading semiconductor chemical supplier based in Taiwan, broke ground Jan. 20 on a north Phoenix project.

According to a press release from the Arizona Commerce Authority, the company is investing $100 million in a 900,000-square-foot center on 17 acres in north Phoenix. The company will produce hydrofluoric acid and other high purity grade industrial chemicals in the first phase, the press release said. The building will be operational in early 2023 in its first phase.

Thursday’s event was attended by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, Chris Mackay, economic development director for the city of Phoenix, and Ann O’Brien, a Phoenix councilwoman for District 1 among others.

“The remaining $50 million investment for phase two involving raw material purification will be operational in 2025,” the press release said. “The facility will adopt the vertical integration manufacturing process, streamlining operations.”

Last month, another parcel of land near the future home of the Taiwanese chipmaker and its new fab site at Loop 303 and Interstate 17 got snatched up for about $16.8 million.

The Opus Group, a Minneapolis- based commercial real estate company, bought 29.87 acres near 19th Avenue and Happy Valley Road, according to Vizzda, a real estate database.

North Phoenix land is hot and being snagged up by multiple entities after the March 2021 announcement that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and the city of Phoenix had signed a development agreement that looks to bring a $12 billion chip manufacturing center to northwest Phoenix.

Construction on the campus’s first phase is ongoing. The first building is expected to be complete next summer at Sonoran Oasis Science and Technology Park.

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said she’s excited about the addition of Sunlit to the Phoenix area.

“Sunlit’s decision is a testament to Phoenix’s advancement as a national and global leader in the semiconductor industry. Its new fabrication facility in north Phoenix adds to the quality jobs and research excellence signifi cantly expanding in our region,” said Gallego in the press release.

Mackay was part of a group that helped jump start a process with a visit to Taiwan in 2019 that led Phoenix officials to land a Taiwanese semiconductor company.

On Oct. 17, 2019, city of Phoenix officials left Sky Harbor International Airport and traveled to Taiwan to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Phoenix and Taipei that began in 1979.

“Over the past 18 months, Phoenix has been spotlighted on the global economic stage as a center for advanced manufacturing,” said Mackay in the press release.

“We are so honored that Sunlit selected north Phoenix for its expansion, and they are a welcome addition to the growing manufacturing ecosystem here. This is a perfect location for them to find a qualified, experienced workforce and the choice of lifestyle their employees can experience here.”

Brent Ruffner
Lead News Reporter | Phoenix
@AzNewsmedia

BRuffner@iniusa.org

Meet Brent

Brent Ruffner joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2021 where he writes about developments at TSMC and Maricopa County issues, including election topics.

He's written about stories that range from accusations that a Mesa monkey breeding facility is unsafe to what to do if you encounter a rattlesnake in the desert.

Community:  He is a supporter of the American Cancer Society.

 Education: Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University, May 2007.

Random Fact: He met former San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays at a Phoenix Firebird game after winning a contest for an autographed baseball. 

Hobbies: Hiking in the woods and collecting sports memorabilia.