This morning's announcement that Edwards Vacuum is going to build a $319 million dry-pump manufacturing facility at WNY STAMP is a good indication, said Sen. Charles Schumer, that there are more high-tech companies who will choose to locate new plants at the park.
"We had a good chance before landing Edwards and now those chances are even better," Schumer told The Batavian during an exclusive interview.
Edwards is a major player in the semiconductor industry, Schumer said, and the decision by the company's CEO, Geert Follens, helps validate STAMP as a viable option for other companies in the semiconductor supply chain as well as a semiconductor fabricator.
The British-based company makes the vacuums that help keep chip manufacturing clean rooms clean.
"Once you land a serious company like this, other semiconductor companies are going to take notice," Schumer said.
Schumer is the author of the CHIPs and Science Act, which provides $52 billion in manufacturing grants and establishes a 25 percent investment tax credit for increasing semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S.
That bill, Schumer said, was a significant factor in the decision by Micron Technologies to build a major chip manufacturing plant near Syracuse and Micron's selection of New York helped STAMP beat out a competing site in another nearby state for the Edwards facility, Schumer said.
Phase One of Edwards Vacuum’s 240,000 square-foot campus includes manufacturing, warehouse and administration. The company is expected to employ 600 people and the state and federal financial incentives tied to the deal require Edwards to meet that employment goal.
Edwards will also negotiate a PILOT agreement (a reduction in property taxes on the increased value of the property in exchange for payments to local governments), along with sales tax, and mortgage tax abatements with GCEDC.
In an interview with The Batavian yesterday, GCEDC Steve Hyde said there was a major announcement coming soon (which came a lot sooner than he suggested) about STAMP, and he also said there are about 20 companies with some interest in STAMP and another five or six with serious interest.
Schumer agreed with that assessment.
"There is a lot of interest in STAMP," said Schumer, a big baseball fan. "We have to land them but we're on third base and getting ready to score."
File photo of Sen. Charles Schumer at WNY STAMP in August 2020 calling for passage of the CHIPS Act. Photo by Howard Owens.
