A machinist works through a precise finishing process on the sputtering target at Solstice Advanced Materials. (Photo: Solstice Advanced Materials/PRNewswire)
The state-of-the-art facility is expected to double capacity, reduce lead times by 25 percent, enable circular production for semiconductor materials, and strengthen Solstice’s U.S. manufacturing footprint.
MORRIS PLAINS, N.J.—Specialty materials company Solstice Advanced Materials announced in December that it broke ground on a $200 million investment to expand and modernize its electronic materials facility in Spokane Valley, Washington.
By the end of 2029, the facility’s current production capacity for sputtering targets is expected to double, helping to meet growing customer demand amid rapid expansion across the industry, the company said in a release.
“This groundbreaking represents more than an investment in our Spokane operations—it’s an investment in our customers and in the future of American semiconductor innovation,” said Solstice President and CEO David Sewell, in the release. “As demand accelerates for artificial intelligence, high-speed computing, and connected technologies, we are preparing the Spokane facility to deliver the quality, reliability, and scale our customers need to drive innovation. The expansion project underscores our commitment to strengthening supply chain resilience, enhancing production efficiency and driving sustainable manufacturing innovation in this exciting growth market.”
The Spokane expansion will play a vital role in enabling the next generation of semiconductor fabrication, providing critical materials needed to produce smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient chips. Solstice’s sputtering targets are vital for producing high-speed, highly reliable interconnects that power today’s most advanced logic and memory devices, the company said.
“Our customers are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in chip design, and they depend on partners who can move with the same speed and precision,” said Simon Mawson, senior vice president and general manager, Electronic and Specialty Materials at Solstice Advanced Materials, in the release. “This expansion is about giving them reliable access to the highest-quality materials, shorter lead times, and the confidence that Solstice will be there to support their innovation and growth every step of the way.”
The Spokane expansion is also on track to deliver significant benefits to the local community and regional economy. Of the $200 million investment, approximately $80 million is expected to be spent with Washington-based suppliers. In addition, the company plans to add more than 80 new positions and make critical investments to upskill technicians.
A southside view of the Solstice Advanced Materials Spokane Facility, highlighting the groundbreaking site of a 110,000-square-foot expansion. (Photo: Solstice Advanced Materials/PRNewswire)
The introduction of automated production systems is expected to drive productivity gains, enhance quality, improve reliability, and reduce lead times for customers by approximately 25 percent. Advanced digitalization and process integration will enhance the company’s operational resilience and ensure the highest levels of precision and consistency. The expansion will introduce 100 percent laser-vision quality inspections, real-time monitoring, full product traceability, and rapid root-cause analysis—all of which are intended to help deliver more reliable and higher-yield output.
Beyond operational excellence, the expansion streamlines production logistics and localizes production, enabling the site’s reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by over 300 metric tons per year by the end of the project. According to the company, this is “comparable to the carbon captured by more than 5,000 tree seedlings grown for a decade.”
The investment will also enable Solstice to reclaim and reuse metals from used sputtering targets supplied by customers. This helps reduce reliance on virgin materials, conserve energy resources, and advance the goal shared by Solstice and its customers of full product circularity and resource efficiency, the company said.
Solstice stated that it offers “high-performance solutions that enable critical industries and applications, including refrigerants, semiconductor manufacturing, data center cooling, nuclear power, protective fibers, healthcare packaging and more.” The company is recognized for developing next-generation materials through brands such as Solstice®, Genetron®, Aclar®, Spectra®, Fluka™, and Hydranal™.