On Tuesday, Nokia announced a $30 million expansion in its semiconductor production in the Lehigh Valley. The company that was once focused on mobile phones is now working to power connectivity infrastructure vital to artificial intelligence, according to CEO Justin Hotard.
“Today is about a clear idea; how we build technology and infrastructure for the AI supercycle, and specifically, where we choose to build it. And for Nokia, that choice is right here in Pennsylvania.”
The Lehigh Valley site is one of the few in the U.S. focused on advanced testing and packaging of photonic chips. Less than 2% of that work is currently being done in the U.S., giving the Lehigh Valley a significant role in Nokia’s strategy.
The company’s expansion in Allentown will increase their capacity ten times and create more than 250 jobs. Governor Josh Shapiro believes that highlights an investment in Pennsylvania and its workers.
“Our revenues this past quarter were up a billion dollars over projection. Typically, it’s up or down $10-$20 million here or there. We’re up a billion dollars because of the massive amount of economic development that we have seen in this commonwealth.”
This expansion is not the Lehigh Valley’s first step into the technological landscape. In 1951, Western Electric in Allentown mass produced the world’s first commercial transistors. Jamie Whalen of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation said the region will continue building the technologies that define the future.
“Companies like Nokia choose places where the workforce, infrastructure, supply chain, and technical expertise already exist, and the Lehigh Valley has spent decades building on that.”
Tuesday’s announcement marks the second major economic win this year for the Lehigh Valley. In January, Eli Lilly and Company announced plans for a $3.5 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing investment in Lehigh County.
