Hempfield's Powerex gets $1M in state aid for growing semiconductor operations | TribLIVE.com

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The state has awarded $1 million to a Hempfield company that produces semiconductors, adding more government support to help add jobs and manufacturing capacity.

Powerex Inc., located near the Westmoreland County Community College, will be able to increase production and hire 25 or more employees as a result of the investment by the state Department of Community and Economic Development and federal government, said Joseph Wolf, Powerex CEO. The federal government announced a $3 million grant last week for the business through the federal CHIPS and Science Act.

The government funding is in addition to a private investment of at least $14 million from the company to modernize and upgrade key assembly, production and testing capabilities. It produces high-powered semiconductors for sectors such as military electronics, aircraft, alternative energy and electric vehicles.

With the expansion, Powerex will be able to add to its workforce of 215, Wolf said. There are additional plans to move some production from its plant in Warsaw, Poland, to Hempfield.

Financial support from the state was a requirement for Powerex to receive the $3 million from the federal government, Wolf said.

Powerex is 50% owned by the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi and is a joint venture partner of General Electric Corp., which also has a 50% ownership in the local plant. Powerex is one of the last vertically-integrated power semiconductor facilities in the nation, the state said.

Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at [email protected].

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