It was big news in February 2023 – Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) selected Utah for its next 300-mm semiconductor wafer fabrication plant. Building upon their existing presence, the new facility is set to expand their operations, adding extra capacity and will bring up to 800 new high-tech jobs and $11 billion in capital investment to Lehi, Utah, during the next 20 years.

This year, Area Development Magazine recognized the expansion as a “Project of the Year” in its annual Gold and Silver Shovel awards. Utah was also recognized with a Silver Shovel – making this 14 out of the last 17 years that Utah’s economic development efforts have been recognized by Area Development.

Area Development’s annual Shovel Awards recognize state economic development agencies that drive significant job creation through innovative policies, infrastructure improvements, and processes that attract new employers and investments in new and expanded facilities. The awards are presented annually to states that have achieved significant success in terms of job creation and economic impact.

The seven projects recognized by Area Development were nominated by EDCUtah for their notable impact on Utah’s economic prosperity.  

Here’s the writeup from Area Development Magazine:

“Silver Shovel winner Utah had a big year in terms of investments, tallying some $12 billion in promises from a variety of big projects. The vast majority of that total involves one investment in Lehi, a Project of the Year from Texas Instruments. The biggest investment (resulting from a corporate recruitment project) in Utah history, it’s a semiconductor wafer fabrication plant that’ll connect to an existing Texas Instruments fab—the two fabs together will be able to make tens of millions of chips a day.  

It’s hard to measure up to an $11 billion project like that, but Utah has a healthy list of other growth to be proud of. Lakeshore Learning picked Garland for a massive distribution facility to help get the company’s education materials to kids and teachers. Procter & Gamble is expanding its Box Elder facility that makes products in the company’s paper, baby care and feminine care business lines. Delta Airlines picked its Salt Lake City hub for a pilot training facility. And a number of food companies are locating or expanding in Utah, such as C&J Specialties, Utah Flour Mill and Schreiber Foods, which makes a variety of cheese products and celebrated its 50th anniversary a couple years ago by baking a Guinness World Record-winning two-ton batch of macaroni and cheese.”

Learn more about EDCUtah’s business expansion and relocation services.