Saxony and the U.S. state of Arizona intend to deepen their ties in the semiconductor industry. Saxony Trade & Invest Corp. (WFS) and the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) used SEMICON West, the leading U.S. semiconductor trade fair, held in San Francisco from October 13 to 15, 2026, to build closer links between companies and institutions from both regions and to explore further opportunities for cooperation.
Thomas Horn, CEO of Saxony Trade & Invest, said Arizona and Saxony are among the world’s leading microelectronics hubs, both establishing very large new production capacities. He noted that it is not only chip manufacturing that is growing, since suppliers, research, skilled workers, and infrastructure must keep pace, and that this is where closer cooperation brings concrete benefits. Companies in Saxony gain better access to one of the most important semiconductor markets in the U.S., while Arizona companies get direct access to Europe’s largest microelectronics hub. He added that he was delighted to expand the cooperation further, building on the discussions held during the Silicon Saxony Days in June.
Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority, said both regions have emerged as global leaders in semiconductor manufacturing, innovation, and investment. As their ecosystems grow, she said, there is great value in stronger connections between companies, research institutions, and talent pipelines on both sides of the Atlantic, and she looks forward to advancing the future of semiconductor leadership together with the Saxon partners.
The program kicked off on the eve of the fair with a Transatlantic Executive Dinner, which brought together semiconductor executives and representatives from business, research, and institutions in both regions in an informal setting. The discussion centered on developments at both locations and on specific areas of collaboration between Saxon and Arizona companies and partners.
Arizona has a particularly high concentration of semiconductor manufacturing and is significantly expanding its production capacity. Since 2020, it has attracted more than 70 expansion and new-site projects in the industry, with an investment volume of over 314 billion US dollars, covering the entire value chain from chip manufacturing to equipment, materials, advanced packaging, and research. From 2027, Phoenix will also become the permanent host city of SEMICON West.
The Silicon Saxony region is likewise in a period of major investment, and around one third of all chips produced in Europe are already made in Saxony. In July 2026, Infineon opened its new Smart Power Fab in Dresden, a EUR 5 billion investment, while GlobalFoundries is investing a further EUR 1.1 billion to expand its Dresden site. At the same time, ESMC, the joint venture between TSMC, Bosch, Infineon, and NXP, is building TSMC’s first semiconductor manufacturing facility in Europe, investing around EUR 10 billion in Dresden.
