Saxony and Arizona Expand Collaboration in the Semiconductor Industry

DRESDEN, Germany, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Saxony and the U.S. state of Arizona intend to further expand their ties in the semiconductor industry. Saxony Trade & Invest Corp. (WFS) and the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) used SEMICON West, the leading US trade fair for the semiconductor industry, which took place in San Francisco from 13 to 15 October 2026, to foster closer links between companies and institutions from both semiconductor regions and to explore further opportunities for cooperation.

Thomas Horn, CEO of Saxony Trade & Invest: "Arizona and Saxony are among the world's leading microelectronics hubs, where very large new semiconductor production capacities are currently being established. This means that it is not just chip manufacturing that is growing on both sides. Suppliers, research, skilled workers and infrastructure must also keep pace. This is precisely where we see a concrete benefit of closer cooperation. Companies in Saxony gain better access to one of the most important semiconductor markets in the US, whilst at the same time we can offer companies from Arizona direct access to Europe's largest microelectronics hub. We are delighted that we have been able to further expand our cooperation with our partners in Arizona, thereby building on the discussions held during the Silicon Saxony Days in June."

"Both Arizona and Saxony have emerged as global leaders in semiconductor manufacturing, innovation, and investment", said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. "As our ecosystems continue to grow, there is tremendous value in building stronger connections between companies, research institutions, and talent pipelines on both sides of the Atlantic. We are grateful to our partners from Saxony and look forward to advancing the future of semiconductor leadership together."

Kick-off at the Transatlantic Executive Dinner

The event kicked off on the eve of the trade fair with a Transatlantic Executive Dinner. This event brings together executives from the semiconductor industry, as well as representatives from business, research and institutions in both regions, in an informal setting. The focus was on discussing developments at the two locations, as well as specific areas of collaboration between companies and partners from Saxony and Arizona.

Arizona: a semiconductor hub with strong investment momentum

Arizona is a region in the US with a particularly high concentration of semiconductor manufacturing and a significant expansion of production capacity. Since 2020, Arizona has attracted more than 70 expansion and new-site projects in the semiconductor industry, representing an investment volume of over 314 billion US dollars. These include investments across the entire value chain, from semiconductor manufacturing through to equipment and materials, right up to advanced packaging and research.

From 2027, Phoenix will also become the permanent host city for the SEMICON West trade fair.

Silicon Saxony region: Major Investments

The Silicon Saxony region is likewise experiencing a period of major investment. Around one third of all chips produced in Europe are already manufactured in Saxony. In July 2026, Infineon opened its new Smart Power Fab in Dresden, representing an investment of EUR 5 billion. GlobalFoundries is investing a further EUR 1.1 billion in the expansion of its Dresden site. At the same time, ESMC is building TSMC's first semiconductor manufacturing facility in Europe. The joint venture between TSMC, Bosch, Infineon and NXP is investing around EUR 10 billion in Dresden.

SOURCE Saxony Trade & Invest Corp.