The state of New York will give IBM $140 million in economic development grants to support creation of as many as 1,000 high-tech jobs upstate and to advance IBM’s work on nanotechnology computer chips.
The state money will be used to expand IBM's operations at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at the University at Albany. It will also help fund a new advanced semiconductor packaging research and development center upstate, but officials haven't decided where that will be located. And the company will upgrade its East Fishkill semiconductor production plant in the Hudson Valley, north of New York City.
Nanochips each carry billions of transistors and are used in high-end computers, virtual reality and advanced electronic games, medical devices and anti-terrorism systems, among other things.
New York is investing $25 million in state-of-the-art infrastructure at Albany NanoTech, which is expected to add 325 new research and development jobs.
Another $50 million will be dedicated to the new 120,000 square foot semiconductor packaging center. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will contribute to research at that facility, which is expected to create more than 675 jobs. The semiconductor packages are composed of nanochips.
IBM also committed to keeping more than 1,000 semiconductor jobs at the East Fishkill plant. The company plans to upgrade the site and the state will provide $65 million for that effort.
“These new investments will spur continuing advancements in nanotechnology and semiconductor research and development, including new efforts in semiconductor packaging, propelling IBM chip innovations and solidifying the state's reputation as a high-tech leader,” said John E. Kelly III, senior vice president and director of research for IBM.
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