Texas Instruments New Semiconductor Wafer Fab in Lehi, Utah.

Texas Instruments (TI) announced their plan on February 15, 2023, to build a second 300-millimeter semiconductor wafer fabrication plant (or fab) in Lehi, Utah. The new fab will be located next to the company’s existing 300-mm semiconductor wafer fab and will operate as a single fab once completed.

Lehi is an ideal location because of its access to skilled talent, robust existing infrastructure, and strong network of community partners. The new fab will manufacture millions of analog and embedded processing chips daily that will go into electronics everywhere.

The company stated that the $11 billion investment is the largest in Utah's history and is expected to bring 800 direct and thousands of indirect jobs to the area. TI will also invest $9 million to improve student opportunities at the nearby Alpine School District.

The advanced 300-mm fab will be constructed to LEED’s (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) highest sustainability standards to reduce further waste, water, and energy consumption per chip. Construction of the new fab is expected to begin in the second half of 2023; it will be designed to meet the LEED Gold rating. Production is expected to begin as early as 2026.  

Haviv Ilan, TI's incoming president and chief executive officer said, "This new fab is part of our long-term, 300-mm manufacturing roadmap to build the capacity our customers will need for decades to come. Our decision to build a second fab in Lehi underscores our commitment to Utah. It is a testament to the talented team there who will lay the groundwork for another important chapter in TI’s future. With the anticipated growth of semiconductors in electronics, particularly in industrial and automotive, and the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, there is no better time to further invest in our internal manufacturing capacity."

The cost of the new fab is comprehended in TI’s previously announced capital spending plan to expand manufacturing capacity. It will complement TI’s existing 300-mm fabs, which include DMOS6 (Dallas), RFAB1, and RFAB2 (both in Richardson, Texas), and LFAB (Lehi, Utah). TI is also building four new 300-mm wafer fabs in Sherman, Texas.