Governor Hochul Celebrates Official Opening of Major New R&D Center at NY Creates’ Albany Nanotech Complex

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that NY Creates (the New York Center for Research, Economic Advancement, Technology, Engineering, and Science) and leading Japanese semiconductor supply chain company SCREEN held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of SCREEN's Advanced Technology Center of America, LLC (SCREEN ATCA). This partnership between NY Creates and SCREEN brings another international leader in advanced semiconductor technologies to the Capital Region, and further cements New York State's position as a global leader in semiconductor innovation and manufacturing.

"The opening of SCREEN ATCA marks yet another major milestone for New York's globally-recognized semiconductor manufacturing industry," Governor Hochul said. "This partnership allows New York to continue to expand on semiconductor innovation, creating good-paying jobs and strengthening the communities around the center."

SCREEN's new leading-edge research and development center is located at NY Creates' Albany NanoTech Complex-the largest and most advanced semiconductor R&D facility of its kind in North America. Researchers at the Center will work to advance semiconductor technologies in the United States, marking the culmination of a strategic international partnership to strengthen collaboration around chip innovation and deepen economic ties between the U.S. and Japan.

This partnership was made possible by Governor Hochul's $1 billion investment to build and equip NanoFab Reflection, a next generation R&D facility at NY Creates. SCREEN ATCA will leverage state-of-the-art cleanroom space within NanoFab Reflection and includes more than $75 million in initial investment expected during the first three years of a planned ten-year engagement.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Under Governor Hochul's leadership, New York State is making bold, strategic investments in the industries of the future - we are not only driving innovation, but also building the foundation for the jobs of tomorrow. From semiconductors to advanced research and emerging technologies, these efforts and global partnerships are creating new opportunities for New Yorkers, strengthening our competitiveness, and positioning our communities to thrive in a rapidly evolving economy."

NY Creates President and CEO Dave Anderson said, "This ribbon cutting ceremony signifies more than just a new space at NY Creates, it symbolizes a shared vision to expand semiconductor R&D in the region, advance the workforce of tomorrow, and reinforce global competitiveness in this critical industry. With SCREEN ATCA now operational at our Albany NanoTech Complex, we are unlocking exciting opportunities for collaboration, reflecting a shared commitment to catalyze semiconductor innovation in New York for the U.S. and the world. We look forward to working closely with our ATCA partners to enable their long-term success."

SCREEN Holdings President and CEO and SCREEN ATCA Chairman Masato Goto said, "The establishment of the global R&D hub in Albany has been my long-term dream, incubated since I was the president of SCREEN's SPE business. This investment will accelerate elemental technology validation and equipment development, giving us a further competitive edge and enabling us to deliver greater value to our customers."

SCREEN ATCA President Ian Brown said, "SCREEN is excited to deepen our 20-year engagement with the NY Creates Albany NanoTech site. With SCREEN ATCA being an active tenant, it expands our capabilities and capacity to develop semiconductor manufacturing equipment, processes and applications internally, with Albany NanoTech onsite stakeholders and our U.S. and global partners."

Through this initiative, NY Creates and SCREEN ATCA intend to connect leading high-tech organizations in both the U.S. and Japan to leverage their networks and drive innovation in SCREEN's semiconductor R&D focus areas, including semiconductor wet etch and cleaning processes with a range of wet processing, coat/develop, anneal, and image processing core technologies.

Underpinning the latest partnerships to take shape at Creates' Albany NanoTech Complex is the establishment of the new NanoFab Reflection facility that will also be home to Creates' EUV Lithography Center, announced by Governor Hochul in December of 2023, which currently offers standard NA EUV lithography, with High NA EUV lithography capabilities accessible in the latter part of 2026. Related tools and components for the High NA EUV Lithography initiative have already arrived and are being assembled inside the NFR cleanroom.

The 310,000-square-foot NanoFab Reflection is a key component of Governor Hochul's semiconductor strategy and investment in growing NY Creates' Albany NanoTech Complex, which is already the nation's premier public-private semiconductor R&D hub. The project will support hundreds of new permanent high-tech jobs, generate $9 billion in private investment, and harness the power of expanded partnerships with universities, workforce programs, and global semiconductor companies.

Since Governor Hochul took office, semiconductor companies have announced more than $124 billion in new investments in New York State. By 2030, the semiconductor industry estimates that one in four American-made chips will be manufactured in and around upstate New York - more than any other region in the country. This historic success will generate thousands of good paying manufacturing jobs and bring growth and opportunity to communities across the state.

The Governor recently participated in a "topping out" ceremony of the NanoFab Reflection facility, marking the installation of the final steel beam of the building's structure and highlighting its on-schedule construction progress. Completion of the building is anticipated by the end of 2026.

About NY Creates

NY Creates serves as a lab-to-fab bridge for advanced electronics, fostering public-private and industry-academic partnerships for technology development and innovation. NY Creates attracts and leads industry-connected innovation and commercialization projects that secure significant investment, advance R&D in emerging technologies, and generate the jobs of tomorrow. NY Creates runs some of the most advanced facilities in the world, boasts more than 2,700 industry experts and faculty, and manages public and private investments of $25 billion-placing it at the global epicenter of high-tech innovation and commercialization. Learn more at https://www.ny-creates.org.

About SCREEN

SCREEN Holdings is a holding company supervising four core business companies: semiconductor production equipment (SPE), graphic arts equipment (GA), display production equipment (FT), and PCB-related equipment (PE). Established in 1943, originally as a graphic arts equipment manufacturer, SCREEN has expanded its businesses into the electronics industry, driving innovation in the industries it serves. Its SPE segment is a leading manufacturer of wafer processing equipment for the semiconductor market worldwide. It consistently holds the top global share in wafer wet etching and cleaning and delivers a wide range of solutions that underpin semiconductor production, including lithography, annealing, measurement/inspection systems. Learn more at https://www.screen.co.jp/en.

Contact the Governor's Press Office