Alliance for Balanced Growth Explores Limitless Possibilities of an Advanced Technology-Fueled Economy
Ryan Silva, Executive Director of the NYSEDC; and Jennifer Waters, Senior Director of Industry Development for the Governor’s Office of Semiconductor Expansion and Integration (GO-SEMI)
Conor Eckert, Incoming President & CEO of the Orange County Partnership
By John Jordan
The Alliance for Balanced Growth held a highly informative session on April 15 entitled “Preparing Communities for the Future: Advanced Economic Development” that offered a glimpse as to the boundless potential the semiconductor and advanced technology sectors could have for Orange County’s future.
The event held at the Wallkill Golf Club attracted several hundred business, government and economic development officials and featured an expert panel of Jennifer Waters, senior director of industry development for the Governor’s Office of Semiconductor Expansion and Integration (GO-SEMI) and Ryan Silva, executive director of the New York State Economic Development Council.
The session, moderated by Incoming President and CEO of the Orange County Partnership Conor Eckert, also featured an introduction by ABG Co-Chair Dan Depew of Holt Construction, an address by Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, and closing remarks by ABG Co-Chair Andrew Fetherston of Colliers Engineering & Design.
Orange County Executive Neuhaus, fresh off returning from a trip to Taiwan with other county business leaders (including Conor Eckert) to explore possible semiconductor investment in Orange County and the Hudson Valley, was very optimistic that the county will indeed benefit greatly from the growth taking place in the semiconductor and advanced technology sectors in the years to come.
Neuhaus and Eckert noted that the county is committed to attracting advanced technology and semiconductor companies to Orange County and are particularly focused on businesses that are engaged in the supply chain for these massive semiconductor manufacturing plants.
Waters and Silva discussed the massive advanced technology and semiconductor investments that are taking place upstate and in the Capital Region by Micron, Global Foundries and IBM to name just a few. They noted that it takes years to land these investments and that each involve billions of dollars. For example, Micron is investing $100 billion at its project now under construction in Clay, NY thanks in part to $10 billion in incentives from New York State.
Both Waters and Silva noted that Orange County’s prime location at the intersection of I-87 and I-84 should make it very attractive to companies that need to be near and supply key components to the large semiconductor companies located in New York State.
To land an international semiconductor or semiconductor supply chain firm, Waters said, “It takes bipartisan support on a local level, regional level, the state level and the federal level” and a team that is willing to work on the project every day and engage all stakeholders involved in supplying the land, infrastructure, workforce, etc.
Due to their complexities, the Micron and Global Foundries transactions were years in the making but will be producing billions of dollars in investments and tens of thousands of jobs in and around their locations.
Micron’s project involves 1,500 acres and will eventually feature 2.4 million square feet of clean space alone. Its building will span more than a mile. Waters added that Micron will require more energy than is currently supplied to the City of New York.
These chip manufacturing plants require a tremendous amount of energy, she noted. To planners, she suggested: “If you think you have enough power, double it.”
Silva said that the Global Foundries investment in Malta and surrounding Saratoga County has been tremendous. He said Malta’s economy is now booming and the project has been a key factor in Saratoga County’s recent growth.
"Malta was a rural town 25 years ago. Global Foundries now employs approximately 2,500 workers and Malta and the surrounding area have thousands of new housing units, new health care facilities, etc.”, he related.
He said that the Global Foundries projects put New York State and the Capital Region on the map in terms of the semiconductor industry.
While Orange County officials hope to land a massive semiconductor project, their main focus going forward is attracting firms engaged in the industry’s supply chain, including packaging.
Waters said the size of these supply chain companies are “vast and varied.” Orange County’s efforts dovetail the state’s overall goal of creating a full end-to-end supply chain for the advanced manufacturing and semiconductor sectors in New York State.
The sponsors of the program were CSArch and Passero Associates.
