Wolfspeed and NC A&T to Establish Joint R&D Facility to Further Advance Silicon Carbide Innovation
March 28 2023 - 2:00PM
Business Wire
- Company expands partnership with North Carolina Agricultural
and Technical State University to bolster compound semiconductor
advances while developing a new generation of innovators
Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE: WOLF), the global leader in Silicon
Carbide technology, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical
State University, America’s leading historically Black college or
university, today announced their intent to apply for CHIPS and
Science Act funding to build a new research and development
facility on the North Carolina A&T campus. The R&D facility
will be focused on Silicon Carbide to support the next generation
of advanced compound semiconductors. Wolfspeed and A&T intend
to submit the project for federal investment as part of the CHIPS
and Science Act when the Notice of Funding Opportunity for R&D
facilities is released this fall.
“Wolfspeed has been working with North Carolina A&T to
develop a workforce of the future, and we are excited to expand
that partnership to develop the technology of the future,” said
Gregg Lowe, President and CEO of Wolfspeed. “The R&D facility
will enable the next generation of innovators to explore new
processes, applications and breakthrough advancements to support
the global transition from silicon to Silicon Carbide technology
and achieve new levels of sustainability and energy efficiency
across a variety of industries.”
The announcement was made at an event with President Joe Biden
at Wolfspeed’s headquarters in Durham, N.C., and the R&D
facility is intended to augment the company’s establishment of the
John Palmour Manufacturing Center for Silicon Carbide, the world’s
largest Silicon Carbide crystal growth facility, currently under
construction in Siler City, North Carolina. Phase one construction
is anticipated to be completed in 2024 and, upon completion of the
full build out and combined with the company’s currently ongoing
materials expansion at its Durham headquarters, will increase
material production for Wolfspeed more than 10x and create 1,800
new jobs. The facility will supply 200mm Silicon Carbide wafers to
Wolfspeed’s Mohawk Valley Fab, which opened last year in New York
as the world’s first, largest and only 200mm Silicon Carbide
fabrication facility. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper were also in attendance at the
event.
“As one of the top three public research universities in North
Carolina and the nation’s largest HBCU, we are keenly interested in
the future of the semiconductor chip industry in our state,” said
Chancellor Martin. “As a research and education partner with
Wolfspeed, we bring deep academic and scientific strengths in STEM
disciplines to our collaboration, as well as the fact that we
produce more Black engineers than any university in the nation.
This new facility will integrate our research and development
interests toward major economic and social impact, not just in
North Carolina, but globally. The possibilities are tremendously
exciting.”
Wolfspeed has recognized A&T, one of the nation’s leading
engineering institutions, as a critical component of the company’s
talent development strategy. In 2020, Wolfspeed committed $4
million over five years to the HBCU, the single largest donation in
the university’s history at the time, to create the Wolfspeed
Endowed Scholars Program. In September 2022, the two entities
announced a partnership to develop a comprehensive education and
training curricula, including undergraduate and graduate
credentials in Silicon Carbide semiconductor manufacturing, as well
as training and career advancement programs for existing
semiconductor manufacturing workers.
To further support Wolfspeed’s growing talent needs, the company
is working with several schools within North Carolina’s robust
community college system to develop the skills required for its
advanced manufacturing needs. This includes apprenticeship and
pre-apprenticeship opportunities, customized training curricula,
career and college promise pathways for high school students, and
work-based learning programs.
About Wolfspeed, Inc.:
Wolfspeed (NYSE: WOLF) leads the market in the worldwide
adoption of Silicon Carbide and GaN technologies. We provide
industry-leading solutions for efficient energy consumption and a
sustainable future. Wolfspeed’s product families include Silicon
Carbide materials, power devices and RF devices targeted for
various applications such as electric vehicles, fast charging, 5G,
renewable energy and storage, and aerospace and defense. We unleash
the power of possibilities through hard work, collaboration and a
passion for innovation. Learn more at www.wolfspeed.com.
Twitter: @Wolfspeed LinkedIn: @Wolfspeed
Wolfspeed® is a registered trademark of Wolfspeed, Inc.
Forward Looking Statements:
This press release contains forward-looking statements by
Wolfspeed involving risks and uncertainties, both known and
unknown, that may cause Wolfspeed’s actual results to differ
materially from those indicated. Actual results may differ
materially due to a number of factors, including the risk that
Wolfspeed and NC A&T do not receive receiving funding under the
CHIPS and Science Act for the R&D facility; that Wolfspeed and
NC A&T may encounter delays or other difficulties in
constructing and equipping the R&D facility; the continued pace
of the transition to using Silicon Carbide devices in electric
vehicles and other industrial uses; the rapid development of new
technology and competing products that may impair demand or render
Wolfspeed’s Silicon Carbide products obsolete; and other factors
discussed in Wolfspeed’s filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including its report on Form 10-K for the year ended
June 26, 2022, and subsequent filings. For additional product and
company information, please refer to www.wolfspeed.com.
About North Carolina A&T:
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a
doctoral, high-research activity land grant university and the
largest historically Black university in America for the last nine
consecutive years. Founded in 1891, it is located in Greensboro,
N.C. It is the fastest-growing member of the 17-campus University
of North Carolina System, having added 3,000 students over the past
decade. It is ranked among America’s top 50 national universities
in Social Mobility and in Innovation. Considered the leading STEM
university among HBCUs, it has graduated more Black engineers,
agricultural scientists, journalism and liberal arts students than
any other U.S. university over the past two years.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230328005476/en/
Media Relations: Melinda Walker Director, Corporate
Communications 818-261-4585 media@wolfspeed.com
Investor Relations: Tyler Gronbach VP, External Affairs
919-407-4820 investorrelations@wolfspeed.com
Jackie Torok Director, Media Relations North Carolina
A&T 336-256-0863/336-681-0028 jtorok@ncat.edu
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