Wolfspeed Opens $1 Billion Silicon Chip Fab Plant In Marcy

Governor Kathy Hochul joined local officials and business leaders on Monday for a ribbon cutting ceremony at Wolfspeed in Marcy.

The company is officially marking the opening for the $1.2 billion chip plant facility which will manufacture the world’s first, fastest and only 200-millimeter silicon carbide chip.

Wolfspeed CEO Gregg Lowe attended the ribbon cutting.

Lowe announced that Wolfspeed and Lucid Motors have reached a multiyear agreement for Wolfspeed to produce and supply Silicon Carbide devices.

Lucid Motors deploys its Silicon Carbide power device solutions in the automaker’s high-performance, pure-electric car – the Lucid Air.

Lowe says the partnership gives Lucid access to increased capacity to better support their long-term automotive production.

“Lucid’s proprietary powertrain technology – engineered and produced in-house – is at the core of what makes Lucid Air the most advanced and most efficient luxury electric vehicle in the world,” said Eric Bach, Senior Vice President of Product and Chief Engineer at Lucid. “With the perfect blend of high performance and high efficiency, Wolfspeed’s innovative Silicon Carbide MOSFET power semiconductors are an ideal fit for Lucid’s advanced technology.”

Wolfspeed technology supports the growing electric vehicle, 4G and 5G and industrial markets.

Wolfspeed is expected to employ 600 people at its Marcy location, with about 200 already having been hired.

Instead of a traditional ribbon cutting a Lucid Air was driven through a Wolfspeed banner as seen below.

In addition,Wolfspeed will provide internships and research positions for students attending the State University of New York, helping to advance a manufacturing-oriented workforce development initiative across the State University of New York system.

The Marcy location is part of the silicon carbide corridor from North Carolina to New York.