Lehigh Valley’s storied role in global technological innovation grew this month when Nokia announced a $30 million expansion of its semiconductor operations here to support telecommunications and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The Fortune Global 500 company’s expansion of its photonic semiconductor advanced testing and packaging operations, supported by state and federal investments, will nearly double its workforce in the Lehigh Valley by creating 242 new jobs in engineering, manufacturing, and research & development.
And it positions Lehigh Valley to play an even larger part in Nokia's $4 billion research & development and manufacturing strategy in the U.S.
"Semiconductor and optoelectronics development have long been an important part of the Lehigh Valley economy," said Don Cunningham, President & CEO of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC). "Nokia's investment and expansion here with the support of Gov. Shapiro and the Commonwealth showcase the continued growth and importance of this critical technology sector here in the Lehigh Valley."
So why did Nokia choose the Lehigh Valley for its expansion? Here’s what the CEO and other leaders said.
Legacy of Innovation
“This is a region that has a deep history in semiconductor innovation. The early semiconductor components were first manufactured here, that came out of Bell Labs. And it has a track record of building what's next … And it reflects confidence. Confidence in this region, in the workforce that we have here, and in the role that Pennsylvania and the United States will play in the future of AI infrastructure, combined with strong leadership and public-private partnership. It creates the right conditions to invest, scale, and lead.”
Justin Hotard, President & CEO, Nokia
Manufacturing Workforce
"You're choosing to invest about $30 million here to expand the packaging and testing of those photonic semiconductors right here in the Lehigh Valley, and that says something not just about Nokia's commitment to Pennsylvania, it also says something about our Commonwealth, and it says something about the Lehigh Valley ... I think what you see, whether it's Lilly or whether it's Nokia, they understand that this is a great region to find wonderful workers. They understand they've got a government that wants to partner with them and figure out ways to get to yes, and they understand that there's a real future here in this community, both from a workforce perspective and a manufacturing perspective.”
Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania
Track Record of Winning
“The Lehigh Valley is setting the pace for economic development, not just here in Pennsylvania, but around the entire United States.”
Rick Siger, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
Foundation for Success
“Companies like Nokia choose places where the workforce, infrastructure, supply chain, and technical expertise already exist. The Lehigh Valley has spent decades building that foundation.”
Jaime Whalen, Executive Vice President & Chief of Staff, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation
