Cree CEO visits Mohawk Valley Fab construction site in Marcy

MARCY, N.Y. — Crews working on building the Mohawk Valley Fab for Cree Inc. in Marcy, near Utica, are focused on the project’s vertical work and the central utility building.

The company is preparing for the placement of the final steel beam of the main fab building “in the coming months,” something that the firm considers “an important milestone and indication that the project remains on schedule,” per a company news release.

Company CEO Gregg Lowe toured the construction site on Friday, the firm said.

Durham, North Carolina–based Cree, Inc. (NASDAQ: CREE) describes itself as a “global leader” in silicon carbide (SiC) technology.

The construction effort continues including structural work for the administrative building and, in some parts of the main fab, interior work has also started. That work includes placements of topping slabs as well as the insertion of mechanical and utility systems.

The construction schedule should allow the company to begin moving tools into the clean-room space by spring 2021.

Since Cree announced its plans to build the Marcy fab in 2019, it has “remained committed” to creating more than 600 new jobs within eight years as well as providing internships for SUNY students as part of its presence. In addition to the current 40 full-time employees, Cree also has multiple job openings listed for the fab. They include engineering and technician-related positions to help “fuel the company’s continued growth in the region.”

As previously announced, Cree’s $3.5 million donation to SUNY Polytechnic Institute will establish the “Cree/Wolfspeed Scholarship” program and endowed chairs to continue the expansion of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) opportunities as well as help train future high-tech workers.

About Cree

Cree focuses on Wolfspeed power and radio frequency (RF) semiconductors and lighting class LEDs.

Cree’s Wolfspeed product portfolio includes silicon-carbide materials, power-switching devices, and RF devices targeted for applications such as electric vehicles, fast charging, inverters, power supplies, telecom and military and aerospace. Cree’s LED product portfolio includes blue and green LED chips, high-brightness LEDs and lighting-class power LEDs targeted for indoor and outdoor lighting, video displays, transportation, and specialty lighting applications.