Press Release: Gov. Evers, WEDC Join EMD Electronics in Celebrating New Facility for Advanced Semiconductor Materials Innovation

State of Wisconsin sent this bulletin at 10/02/2026 11:23 AM CDT
Office of Governor Tony Evers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 2, 2026
Contact: GovPress@wisconsin.gov 
 
Gov. Evers, WEDC Join EMD Electronics in Celebrating New Facility for Advanced Semiconductor Materials Innovation
Governor visits brand new $200 million Sheboygan Falls facility that will generate 44 high-paying jobs 
SHEBOYGAN FALLS — Gov. Tony Evers today joined Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO John W. Miller and leaders of EMD Electronics to celebrate the opening of a new 38,000-square-foot research and development facility at the company’s Sheboygan Falls site. The new facility is part of a multi-year, $200 million investment in Wisconsin by EMD Electronics, the North American electronics business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, to expand the company’s ability to develop and scale advanced materials for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing. When completed, the project is expected to create 44 new high-paying, family-supporting jobs. 

“Over the last nearly eight years, my administration has been proud to celebrate major business investments with our partners at WEDC, and today’s announcement further adds to those efforts,” said Gov. Evers. “Thanks to these critical partnerships, we’re building the 21st-century jobs and infrastructure we need to support a 21st-century economy. Together with EMD Electronics, we’re expanding Wisconsin’s manufacturing capabilities and increasing economic opportunity for folks in Sheboygan Falls and throughout the region.”

This new research and development facility aims to invest in critical manufacturing sectors, such as the semiconductor industry, which is increasingly advancing toward complex architectures, underscoring the need for materials innovation as it is becoming increasingly critical to chip performance and scalability. The new Sheboygan Falls facility provides dedicated capabilities for synthesis, scale-up, and technology transfer, helping EMD Electronics work more closely with customers to accelerate new materials from early-stage development through final products.

“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 Dr. Bing Han, executive vice president and head of Thin Films at EMD Electronics. “Materials innovation remains at the core of that transformation, but success increasingly depends on combining materials discovery, process expertise, and scale-up capabilities. This new facility brings together the capabilities needed to work alongside our customers on their most complex materials challenges and accelerate innovation from the lab to commercial production.”

WEDC is supporting the expansion with up to $4.5 million in performance-based tax credits. The amount of credits the company receives depends on the amount of capital invested and the number of jobs created. 

“EMD Electronics’ continued investment in Sheboygan Falls demonstrates the important role Wisconsin’s skilled workforce and strong manufacturing foundation can play in the future of the semiconductor industry,” said Secretary and CEO Miller. “This R&D facility brings advanced research and development capabilities to our state, creates opportunities for highly skilled jobs, and strengthens Wisconsin’s position as a place where global companies can develop and scale the technologies of the future.”

The new facility introduces eight purpose-built laboratories supporting the product development lifecycle, including discovery, development, qualification, analytical development, purification, packaging, and hazard testing to EMD Electronics’ global footprint. By bringing research and development, scale-up, and technology transfer capabilities together at the Sheboygan Falls site, EMD Electronics can collaborate more closely with customers and respond more quickly to evolving technology roadmaps and local customer requirements.

The facility was also designed to expand EMD Electronics’ research capabilities while reducing its environmental footprint and is among its pioneering laboratories powered by renewable energy. The company aims to meet LEED Gold certification with this new facility and is among the pioneering EMD Electronics laboratories powered by renewable energy. Geothermal energy provides 100 percent of the building’s cooling and approximately 50 percent of its heating requirements, complemented by heat pumps, energy recovery systems, LED lighting, and low-water-use fixtures.

The new facility is part of EMD Electronics’ multi-year investment in its U.S. footprint. The company has announced $200 million in investments supporting its U.S. semiconductor capabilities, including a further investment in Sheboygan Falls to be completed in 2027, as well as recent expansions in Carlsbad, California, and Catoosa, Oklahoma. The investment is part of the company’s $1 billion, five-year investment program to strengthen its innovation and manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. 
 
An online version of this release is available here.
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