WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), a senior member of the Senate Commerce Committee, and the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that Polar Semiconductor will receive up to $120 million in federal funding as part of the CHIPS and Science Act to expand its Bloomington manufacturing facility.
“If we want our country to continue leading the global economy, we must stay on the cutting edge of manufacturing. This landmark investment in Polar Semiconductor’s Bloomington facility will be a game changer for domestic semiconductor manufacturing,” said Klobuchar. “I’m proud to have worked with Polar Semiconductor to secure the resources needed to ensure Minnesota continues to be a leader in advanced manufacturing for decades to come.”
Polar produces high-voltage semiconductors for use in automotive, commercial and industrial applications at its 310,000-square-foot facility in Bloomington. The company produces 21,000 wafer semiconductors per month.
These new investments will allow Polar to expand the facility, which could double its U.S. production capacity.
Klobuchar voted to pass the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen domestic semiconductor production and boost American competitiveness and innovation. The CHIPS and Science Act is providing significant resources to:
- Help companies build, expand, or modernize domestic facilities and equipment for semiconductor production;
- Kick start development of the domestic semiconductor workforce and address near-term labor shortages;
- Make the largest five-year investment in public research and development in the nation’s history, including in critical technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing, as well as boosting STEM education and regional technology hubs.
In June 2023, Klobuchar hosted a roundtable discussion and press conference at Normandale Community College in Bloomington with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to discuss the CHIPS and Science Act and how it can benefit Minnesota companies and workers. Polar Semiconductor VP of Business and Technology Development Rajesh Appat attended the roundtable.
In August 2022, Klobuchar held a press conference in Bloomington with executives from leading U.S.-based semiconductor designers and manufacturers with operations or headquarters in Minnesota to highlight how the CHIPS and Science Act will strengthen American economic competitiveness and spur innovation.
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