Calumet Electronics invests nearly $51 million into future organic substrate facility, assisted by state grant

CALUMET, Mich. (WLUC) - A new era of production is coming to Calumet Electronics.

Calumet Electronics has announced a $50,980,000 investment into the future mass production of organic substrates. The Michigan Strategic Fund Board also announced the company will be receiving a $7,500,000 grant to accomplish that goal.

Organic substrates are base materials used in semiconductors, which are found in a variety of technologies.

“We are currently building organic substrates at prototype levels for defense and commercial applications,” said Calumet Electronics Chief R&D Engineer Audra Thurston. “The goal of the investment is to scale this up and to do even more advanced technology than what we are currently building.”

According to Thurston, prototypes have been in production for the past few years. The investment includes the construction of a 60,000 sq. ft package substrate facility on the Calumet Electronics campus. According to the company, it will be the first of its kind in the country.

The company also states that this expansion is being made in response to the needs of the Department of Defense, as well as the defense goals of the state.

“Michigan wants to play a role in national defense,” said Calumet Electronics Chief Operating Officer Todd Brassard. “Michigan wants to play a role in semiconductors, and we are an interesting intersection, where we are making products for the semiconductor ecosystem that will be heavily used in defense, but also in commercial products that will help our state and country’s economic prosperity.”

Standard production jobs will top out at 270, with 40 getting special training to manufacture the new substrate products. This will take place over the next three years, as the company scales its substrate production.

“We want to get into building next-generation technologies,” continued Brassard. “That means upskilling workers, that means new job opportunities, new categories of growth and it’s pretty safe to say that semiconductors and electronics will be a growth industry for decades to come.”

The company also notes this investment could provide career opportunities for students and encourages them to keep an eye on their job openings.

For the full press release, click here.

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