Governor Warner Announces Nearly 900 Jobs Created Due to Micron Expansion in Manassas

MANASSAS - Governor Mark R. Warner announced today that 860 new high-tech jobs are being brought to Northern Virginia as part of Micron Technology, Inc.’s $1.2 billion upgrade of its fabrication facilities in Manassas. The initial phase of the upgrade, from 200mm to state-of-the-art 300mm process technology, has occurred over the course of the past year. Additionally, the company exceeded expectations by reaching a milestone of 5,000 wafers produced per week in August, well ahead of schedule.

“This announcement underscores Virginia’s continued leadership in the semiconductor industry,” said Governor Warner. “Micron’s decision to upgrade its Virginia facilities solidifies the presence of this high-tech manufacturer and its continuing large-scale investment in the City of Manassas.”

The announcement comes on the same day that Governor Warner announced a $5 million expansion of Framatome ANP in Lynchburg that will create 130 nuclear engineering jobs, and the addition of 32 jobs at Adi Motorsports in Halifax County. Combined, today’s three job announcements represent nearly $1.3 billion in new investment, and the creation of 1,022 new jobs in the Commonwealth. 

During this initial phase of Micron’s expansion in Manassas, the company converted part of its facilities from 200mm to the new industry standard of 300mm production to produce double data rate (DDR) and DDR 2 memory that is used in portable computers and other computing devices. It is anticipated that Micron will upgrade the remainder of the Manassas facilities for 300mm production as well. By using 12-inch, 300mm wafers compared to 8-inch 200mm wafers, manufacturers can put significantly more chips on new wafers and reduce the cost of each chip. The 300mm production process also results in more efficient manufacturing that uses less energy and water.

“Micron’s decision to locate a 300mm facility in Manassas is a reflection of our belief that the Commonwealth of Virginia provides the right environment for business,” said Steve Appleton, Micron Chairman, President and CEO. “Virginia’s commitment to pro-business tax policies and an educated workforce are key factors in helping Micron.”

Micron Technology, Inc. manufactures and markets DRAMs, NAND Flash memory, CMOS image sensors, other semiconductor components, and memory modules for use in computing, consumer, networking, and mobile products. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit its Web site at www.micron.com.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Manassas to prepare the state’s proposal and negotiate an incentive package to secure the project for Virginia. As part of the negotiated incentive package, Governor Warner has signed legislation modifying the existing performance grant to reflect the new expansion completion schedule. Governor Warner also approved a $2 million grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to support the City of Manassas in its workforce development efforts. The Commonwealth will provide a $2 million education grant to increase semiconductor technology capacity and training programs at higher education institutions, including Virginia Tech, George Mason University, and Northern Virginia Community College. With this expansion, Micron Technology, Inc. may qualify for Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide training assistance through its Workforce Services Program.

“We are excited to see Micron continue its growth with a reinvestment in its Manassas plant,” said Douglas Waldron, Mayor, City of Manassas. “The growth of our large employers is critical to the economic vitality of our community and we applaud Micron for its continued presence and investment in the Manassas facility.”