Oregon Governor Kate Brown praised the signing of the CHIPS and Science Act trying to regain some trust with Intel. Intel has rejected Oregon for new plants several times and most recently it chose to move part of its operations to Ohio. In the first governor’s debate, Betsy Johnson called out Brown when she said she knew why Intel left Oregon “because I talked with Intel executives and the answer was answering that damn phone. Nobody in the governor’s office saw the warning signals or reached out to Intel when the tallest tree in our Silicon Forest is headed out the door to Ohio. There were plenty of warning signs. And because Kate Brown has not been tuned into the economic development, allowed Intel’s needs to go unheard.”

Perhaps Johnson is right seeing that Intel spent $20 billion to build two new chip plants in Arizona last year. However, Oregon has 30 viable semiconductor companies in Portland alone, and 25 cities with businesses in the semiconductor or related devices category. The industrial corridor between Beaverton and Hillsboro with a cluster of high-tech companies has been nicknamed Silicon Forest. That is what the Governor was referring to when she said, “In Oregon, we are known as the Silicon Forest, having one of the densest concentrations of semiconductor activity in the country, which has spurred career opportunities and significant economic growth. The CHIPS Act will help ensure Oregon remains a leader in the semiconductor industry, allowing us to develop further technological innovations and grow our high-tech workforce.”

Brown stated, “The passage of the CHIPS and Science Act is a monumental step towards ensuring the U.S. continues to lead the way in technology and manufacturing. This legislation represents $280 million of investments that will expand domestic semiconductor manufacturing and grow our high-tech workforce, which is critical for our businesses and working families.”

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The United States ranks fourth in silicon production, behind China, Russia and India. Intel Corp. in Hillsboro ranked first in the nation in 2021 employing 19,300 employees, and second in market cap of $414.20 billion. Google thought so highly of Oregon’s technological possibilities that it ran their high-speed fiber optic network through Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Gresham, Lake Oswego, and Tigard.

However, the source mines for silicon in Oregon are lacking with only 13 mine prospects, one silica mine plant and 24 silicon producers.

“Not only can we leverage these investments to advance technology and manufacturing,” Brown continues, “but we can also create living wage jobs with career pathways that will open the door of opportunity to many families who have been left behind.”

For the Silicon Forest to continue to stay on top, the Governor needs to realize that Oregon is competing for distribution channels for a high-demand product. So, how will she use the federal funds to grow and flourish Silicon Forest?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-08-12 10:26:02

Last Update: 2022-08-12 10:32:04