The Texas government announced the award of the sixth Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund grant in the amount of $7.87 million to DSM Semichem LLC for the expansion of its specialty materials and chemicals facility in Plainview. This investment brings DSM’s total investment in the plant to $176 million and will create 40 new jobs.
Governor Greg Abbott stressed the importance of strengthening supply chains for key technologies for the state and national economy. According to Abbott, the investment will double the production capacity of specialty materials essential to semiconductor manufacturing in Texas and contribute to the economic development of the region.
DSM Semichem LLC, a joint venture of Dongjin USA, Samsung C&T America and Martin ELSA Investment LLC, produces electronic level sulfuric acid (ELSA), a high-purity compound used to clean wafers in chip manufacturing for applications such as high-performance computing, 5G, artificial intelligence and defense. Tae Yong An, CEO of DSM Semichem LLC, said the grant will accelerate the plant’s expansion and strengthen Texas’ position as a production hub for semiconductor materials.
State Senator Charles Perry noted that DSM’s expansion in Plainview strengthens Texas’ semiconductor manufacturing capacity and contributes to national security by producing essential materials locally. For his part, Rep. Ken King highlighted the positive impact of the investment in the 88th District, where it will create good-paying jobs and strengthen the local economy.
The Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund is part of the Texas CHIPS Act, enacted in 2023 to encourage semiconductor research, design and manufacturing through a performance-based incentive program. This legislation also created the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium and the Texas CHIPS Office, a division of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism. The programs seek to attract investment, promote the expansion of companies in the sector and strengthen Texas’ role as a leader in the semiconductor industry.
