Entegris breaks ground on $600 million expansion to create 600 jobs in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- On Wednesday, nearly six months after it was announced, semiconductor chip manufacturer Entegris officially started a major expansion of its existing operations in town.

New Mayor Yemi Mobolade, in his first full day in office, joined other local leaders in a groundbreaking ceremony on the 88-acre site between South Rockrimmon Boulevard and Ute Valley Park on the city's northwest side.

Entegris currently has 300 employees at its facility along Garden of the Gods Road; the expansion will triple the workforce to 900 over the next few years.

The site was previously owned by Hewlett Packard but that facility was closed and demolished several decades ago when much of the semiconductor industry moved overseas.

Norwood Development acquired the property and has been working with Entegris and city leaders on the expansion.

Entegris is now spearheading a U.S. revival of the industry as semiconductors are in greater demand for the aerospace and defense industries.

The expansion will occur in phases, with production expected to begin in 2025.

The project is called the Manufacturing Center of Excellence.