EMD Electronics has officially opened a brand-new, 38,000-square-foot research and development (R&D) building in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. The facility will design and produce advanced materials needed to make faster and more capable next-generation microchips. EMD Electronics operates as the North American electronics arm of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
As modern devices and artificial intelligence (AI) systems grow more powerful, microchips require far more intricate designs. Because of these rising technical demands, the materials used to manufacture chips have become just as important as the designs themselves. The Sheboygan Falls site gives scientists the tools to test formulas in the lab and quickly scale them up for mass factory production.
“The semiconductor industry is entering a period where integrated workflow solutions play a defining role in enabling the next generation of devices, particularly as AI drives increasing complexity and performance requirements,” said Bing Han, Executive Vice President and Head of Thin Films at EMD Electronics. Han emphasized that the center will allow the team to work side-by-side with chipmakers to solve tough engineering challenges.
The site houses eight specialized laboratories. These labs cover every step of the development cycle, including material discovery, purification, packaging, and safety testing. Bringing all these steps under one roof helps the company deliver new materials to chip manufacturers much faster.
The project is backed by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). John W. Miller, secretary and CEO of WEDC, noted that the investment highlights Wisconsin’s talented workforce and manufacturing strength, while adding new high-tech jobs to the state. In addition to driving innovation, the facility is designed to protect the environment. It is powered by renewable energy, and the company is working toward LEED Gold green-building certification.
This project is part of a larger $200 million investment across three states, including California and Oklahoma. Another expansion phase at the Sheboygan Falls location is scheduled for completion in 2027. All together, these efforts form part of a broader $1 billion program launched in 2021 to strengthen chip manufacturing and research across the United States.
