Construction on Chatham Wolfspeed plant humming along as final steel beam put in place

Semiconductor chip-maker Wolfspeed is moving at lightning speed to get this massive new factory in Chatham County up and running.

Cameras weren’t allowed inside this high-security facility, but WRAL News got to go on a tour. He got a first-hand look at how the site will provide the chips that power everything from electric vehicles to artificial intelligence.

Wolfspeed celebrated a topping-out ceremony with this final steel beam going up in the air in place at the factory site in Chatham County on Tuesday. The very first steel went in here nine months ago.

“It’s exciting with the great planning we’ve done and the leadership we have, so we’re ready for this moment,” said Chatham County Economic Development Director Michael Smith. “It’s been years in the making.”

Now, there’s this 2-million-square-foot facility.

More than 2,000 workers will be there daily building the John Palmour Manufacturing Center for Silicon Carbide or the JP as they’re calling it. Wolfspeed said will be the largest silicon carbide factory in the world.

“Toyota down the road is making a multi-billion-dollar investment,” said Sen. Thom Tillis. “VinFast. Wolfspeed. There are tens of billions of dollars in bets being placed on North Carolina’s economy and our ability to produce the workforce.”

Inside the factory, the company is already growing silicon carbide crystals under high security. There are massive hallways that look like highways.

It will be more than 80% automated with autonomous vehicles and robots moving materials and products. The JP is where Wolfspeed will make the silicon carbide wafers that go into semiconductor chips.

Those chips will end up powering electric vehicles. The company already has deals with Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover, and General Motors.

“We’re driving, pushing that envelope in terms of our silicone carbide technology to make sure you get the most miles per charge for all these electric vehicles,” said Wolfspeed Director of Facilities Shawn Lilly.

Wolfspeed plans to ramp up production in 2025.

This facility has the space where Wolfspeed can expand in phases over a decade.

The company said it will be able to increase its materials capacity by 10 times.