(Via City of Chandler)
By Russ Wiles | Arizona Republic
As the semiconductor manufacturing buildings go up, the suppliers move in.
Edwards, a British company that helps to keep clean rooms and other manufacturing areas pristine, has opened shop in Chandler, the latest in a string of suppliers and contractors jockeying to serve Arizona’s burgeoning microchip industry.
The company provides sophisticated vacuum and exhaust-management equipment and systems for semiconductor manufacturers. It hosted a grand opening April 20 for a new 200,000-square-foot facility that will manufacture, inspect and repair equipment. Edwards anticipates hiring around 500 people over the next few years at the site near Chandler Airpark.
Gov. Katie Hobbs, who was at the dedication ceremony and attended high school in Chandler, said investments like the one made by Edwards will ripple across the Arizona economy. “Today is a sign of more great things to come,” Hobbs said, lauding Arizona’s ability to attract foreign investments.
