DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted announced on Monday, Nov. 20 a big development for Ohio’s tech industry.
A new partnership has been established between Intel, JobsOhio, and the Ohio Grants Alliance, forming a semiconductor supply chain consortium in Ohio’s “Silicon Heartland.”
“When we were working to attract Intel to establish its semiconductor fab facility in Ohio, we knew that most of the jobs would be created from the supply chain that followed,” said Husted. “The establishment of this semiconductor consortium can play an important role in establishing Ohio as the Silicon Heartland.”
The goal is to better position Ohio to become one of two new semiconductor clusters in the United States. It’s also meant to help current and prospective Ohio suppliers compete for new federal grant funding.
“Ohio is committed to ensuring the success of the Silicon Heartland,” said DeWine. “Bringing together industry partners to onshore this critical industry is key to strengthening our national security, spurring future innovation, and making our economy more resilient.”
Intel has agreed to serve as the anchor institution in the consortium to support existing suppliers and attract other key suppliers to Ohio.
“As Intel moves forward with our multi-billion investment in Ohio, we are excited to anchor the new Silicon Heartland consortium,” said Jim Evers, Intel vice president and Ohio site manager. “We look forward to supporting the efforts of semiconductor suppliers looking to expand operations and join us in the Silicon Heartland.”
In January of 2022, Intel announced its selection of Ohio for its two semiconductor manufacturing facilities. Since then, Intel has grown its Ohio supplier footprint from approximately 150 to more than 300 current suppliers.
Earlier this year in February, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced plans to fund two semiconductor clusters through the CHIPS and Science Act that will include “a robust supplier ecosystem, R&D facilities to continuously innovate new process technologies, and specialized infrastructure.”
Officials expect the creation of the Silicon Heartland Supplier Consortium will contribute to Ohio’s position as a leading contender for these federal funds.
