SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCERS IN RICHARDSON
multiple ways of getting around the city, according to Fishpaw. Richardson officials said the city also offers case-by-case incentives to businesses to stimulate eco- nomic development, including tax abatements. Under Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code, incentives that can be offered include property or sales tax rebates as well as lump sum payments to help busi- nesses offset moving expenses, building costs and other expenses. International tech businesses moving to the area have led to the development of most of the city’s cultural communities, Voelker said. “All of these international compa- nies .. came to the Richardson area because we were a technology-based city,” Voelker said “And that all started with semiconductors.” Funding through CHIPS Act As the demand for production increases for both general and spe- cialized semiconductor chips, Stuart said the use of federal funding would be a real game changer for smaller companies such as Photodigm. “It’s … about the impact of inno- vation,” he said. “Our goal is to take our technology and lower the unit
cost that it requires to make it so the product can compete price for price with other types of chips.” In terms of equipment, Stu- art plans to use federal funding to replace 20-year-old equipment with a new custom fabrication facility focused on the specialty chips the company produces. Stuart said he hopes to hire 200-250 employees for the new facility, which would be seven times its current workforce. Businesses are expected to be accepted and announced for federal funding starting May 1, according to Photodigm officials. Allred said the North Texas region is fortunate to have a long legacy of leading the semiconductor industry, and state and federal governments should keep investing in the region. “If we don’t make these smart investments, then we’ve seen that industries can leave,” he said. “We don’t want that to happen in Rich- ardson, but to do that, you have to keep innovating, keep making smart investments and keep bringing in smart people.”
Since Texas Instruments set up shop near Richardson in 1959, more than a dozen semiconductor-related companies have planted operations across the city in the following decades.
1970s
1990s
2000s
2010s
Richardson city limits
8
3
PGBT TOLL
75
9
10
4
CAMPBELL RD. 7
1 Honeywell: 1978 2 VLSIP Technologies: 1993 3 Qorvo: 1996 4 Onto Innovation: 2003 5 Photodigm: 2003 6 Advantest America: 2007 7 Anora Labs: 2008 8 Texas Instruments (Wafer Fab Plant): 2009 9 Arm: 2017 10 ON Semiconductor: 2018
6
5
11
12
ARAPAHO RD.
1
2
BELT LINE RD.
MAP NOT TO SCALE N
SOURCES: SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, DALLAS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT/COMMUNITY IMPACT
11 Altum RF: 2019 12 Infinera: 2020
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
Richardson REAL HEROES
1 5 in Americans will Skin Cancer Screenings Save Lives develop skin cancer in their lifetime 2300 FM 544, Suite 210, Wylie, TX 75098 3600 Shire Boulevard, Suite 210, Richardson, TX 75082 WWW. US DERMATOLOGY PARTNERS .COM May is Skin Cancer Awareness month! Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Fortunately, skin cancer is also one of the most preventable forms of cancer and highly treatable when detected early. Call (469) 575-6813 to Schedule an Annual Skin Exam
15
RICHARDSON EDITION • MAY 2023
Powered by FlippingBook