KLA-Tencor to establish R&D facility in Michigan

"Among the reasons for building a major R&D hub in the Ann Arbor and Detroit metropolitan area are the region's attractive talent pool, relative low cost of living and proximity to Detroit Metropolitan Airport," says Bobby Bell, chief strategy officer, in the press release. "Our plan is to develop innovative solutions that will have an impact across a broad spectrum of semiconductor and electronics applications, including data storage, cloud computing, machine learning and automotive." Semiconductor manufacturing to support the growing automotive electronics industry requires improved device reliability and defect control. In addition, the expanding applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are driving strong demand for compute power and memory. KLA-Tencor's decision to build a new location is founded upon a need to serve growing demand from its global customer base, while expanding the company's footprint in North America. "We're confident that we can continue to create and deliver impactful technologies that ultimately help enrich the human experience. Our expansion into Michigan will help us realize our vision," says Rick Wallace, chief executive officer. "This location also allows the company to strengthen our long-term partnership with the University of Michigan, including engaging in collaborative research."