Year in Review: Kelly Delivers on Jobs and Investments for Arizonans in 2023

In the last year, Arizona has seen a flood of private sector investments as a direct result of Senator Mark Kelly’s leadership on the Chips and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Major microchip manufacturers and clean energy companies have announced multi-billion-dollar investments in Arizona that will bring thousands of good-paying jobs, many of which will not require a four-year degree. These investments are making good on the goals of Kelly’s legislation to bring manufacturing back to America. They will also improve the lives of families across the state while strengthening Arizona’s leadership in microchip manufacturing and packaging and supporting the transition to a clean energy economy. 

This is led by the largest microchip manufacturers. In April, Kelly got an on-site progress update when he visited Intel’s $20 billion microchip manufacturing project in Chandler. In August, Kelly traveled to Taiwan to deepen economic ties and further highlight opportunities in Arizona with TSMC’s $40 billion investment leading the way. 

But it’s not just the big manufacturers that are coming to Arizona. Thanks to Kelly’s work to expand CHIPS Act funding to chips manufacturing suppliers, companies at every level of the chips supply chain are investing in Arizona with more to come. In November, Amkor announced a $2 billion investment in a testing and packaging facility in Peoria, Arizona. LCY Chemical in Casa Grande, Sunlit Chemical in north Phoenix, and Edwards Vacuum and EMD Electronics in Chandler are also investing to build or expand their operations to supply chips manufacturers. That’s what it looks like to see Arizona become a global hub for microchip manufacturing, reducing our reliance on foreign supply chains and creating local jobs.  

It’s also critical to get Arizonans the skills needed to land good-paying jobs building all of these new facilities or working in them. In December, Kelly visited a union apprenticeship program in Phoenix to highlight how Arizonans can learn valuable, in-demand trade skills while also earning a salary. Also in December, Kelly highlighted the agreement between TSMC and the Arizona Building and Construction Trades Council, which is a step forward in ensuring Arizona workers benefit from the good-paying jobs coming to the state.  

But it goes beyond microchips. Thanks to the Kelly-shaped Inflation Reduction Act, Arizona is becoming a national leader in clean energy manufacturing. In 2023, Arizona saw record levels of investment in development and manufacturing of renewable energy technologies.  

This year, battery and electric vehicle manufacturers like Li-Cycle, KORE Power, LG Energy Solutions, and American Battery Factory announced billions in investments coming to Arizona—all supported by the Inflation Reduction Act. In May, Kelly saw the impact of these investments firsthand while touring Li-Cycle’s lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Gilbert with Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.  

2023 was a huge year for Arizona’s emergence as a hub for the industries of the future, like microchips and renewable energy. And because of Senator Kelly’s work, it’s only getting started.