Business Facilities - February 2009 - (Page 29)

CORPORATE MOVES Tennessee By Dominique Cantelme Hemlock Semiconductor to Build $2.5 Billion Plant in Clarksville lion to locate a polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) manufacturing operation in Clarksville, TN at the Commerce Park megasite in the northeastern edge of the city. If plans are fully implemented, it will be the largest corporate capital investment in Tennessee history. After a two-year global search of more than two dozen sites, The Hemlock Semiconductor Group, which includes two Dow Corning Corporation joint ventures, Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation and Hemlock Semiconductor LLC, finally decided on a location. “Tennessee’s business climate coupled with a superb site in Clarksville, a strong, productive workforce and an excellent location in proximity to our supply chain and customers made this the right decision,” said Hemlock Semiconductor President and CEO Rick Doornbos. “This investment will allow us to meet growing customer demand in both the near term and in the decades ahead.” The Clarksville facility will produce polycrystalline silicon, a primary component used to manufacture solar cells and semiconductor devices. While most of the polysilicon will be consumed by firms in the solar industry, the site also will have the capability to make ultrapure silicon for the electronics industry as well as solar-grade material. Upon completion, the new facility will have the capacity to T Group will invest up to $2.5 bil- he Hemlock Semiconductor PHOTO CREDIT: STATE OF TENNESSEE manufacture up to 10,000 metric tons of polysilicon annually with the potential to expand to a production level of 21,000 metric tons. Groundbreaking on the new plant is expected in March 2009 and will create up to 1,000 jobs in construction and related crafts during the building phase. Projected to open in 2012, the Clarksville facility itself will create 500 jobs with the potential of employing up to 900 people within five to seven years. The plant will occupy the entire 1,215-acre Commerce Park megasite and the company plans to acquire an additional 947 acres adjacent to the site for additional buildout and buffer space. “The exact scale of this investment will be determined by market From left: Clarksville Mayor John E. Piper, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Dow conditions. Making this Corning President & CEO Dr. Stephanie Burns, Hemlock Semiconductor investment in today’s President & CEO Rick Doornbos, Commissioner of Economic & Community Development Matt Kisber, and Montgomery County Mayor volatile economic cliCarolyn Bowers spread the good news about the $2.5-billion project. mate is a testament to both the long term outlook of the certification process and being presolar industry as well as Hemlock pared gives a community a strong Semiconductor’s ability to add advantage,” said John Bradley, sencapacity to meet the needs of cus- ior vice president, economic develtomers,” said Doornbos. opment, Tennessee Valley AuthorIn conjunction with this new ity. “The state of Tennessee, industrial development, Austin Peay Clarksville-Montgomery County State University has received a $6.4- and community leaders have been million grant to develop and train a working towards this day for two workforce for the incoming Hem- and a half years.” lock Semiconductor Plant. This “This announcement shows includes a new campus building, six Tennessee’s commitment to becom(Continued on next page) new chemical technology professors BUSINESS FACILITIES 29 and about eleven new professors for other core credit requirements toward the school’s new associate’s degree in Chemical Engineering Technology. The curriculum is set to begin in fall 2009 so as to give students enough time to complete the program prior to Clarksville’s start in late 2012. “When the plant opens, it will be in operation from Day 1. Our employees have to be trained and ready to start Day 1,” said Laura Lambeth, sites and expansions human resources manager for Hemlock. “This huge success proves that going through the diligent megasite

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Business Facilities - February 2009

Business Facilities - February 2009 Contents First Word Snapshots Corporate Moves: Ohio Governor's Report Growth Magnets Industry Focus: Automotive International Report: Luxembourg Corporate Moves: Tennessee Cream of the Crop in North Carolina Advertiser Index Ask the Expert

Business Facilities - February 2009

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