Semiconductor Industry Supplier Buys Land in Casa Grande, Plans to Create 90 Jobs

Article originally posted on AZ Central on August 22, 2023

A Japan-based chemical transportation, storage and distribution company that services the semiconductor industry is building its first U.S. distribution plant in Casa Grande and forecasting it will create about 90 new jobs.

NRS Logistics America, a subsidiary of NRS Logistics, bought 40 acres in Casa Grande and plans to build a 69,000-square-foot facility for the storage of flammable, corrosive chemicals and oxidizers for use in semiconductor chip production and electric vehicle battery manufacturing.

An artist's rendering shows the NRS Logistics facility that will be built in Casa Grande.

Arizona, and Casa Grande specifically, have seen an influx of semiconductor industry companies since Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. announced plans to build a factory in Phoenix in 2020.

In the past three years, 27 semiconductor industry companies have announced expansions or new locations in Arizona, according to the Greater Phoenix Economic Council.

Pinal County has become a hub

In Casa Grande, six companies that had previously announced locations in the area represented a $850 million capital investment, Pinal County Economic Development Director James Smith said in June.

Tony Martinez, the local site leader for NRS Logistics, said the growth in the semiconductor industry was a factor for company officials choosing Casa Grande, but other industries and criteria, including land value and input from the city, was important as well.

“Proximity to the customer is always an advantage; the ability to react quickly and service a customer’s needs is important to NRS,” Martinez said in an email. “Proximity also allows chemical manufacturers to concentrate on producing their products, allowing neighboring logistical services to handle storage and transportation of their products.”

The company is still evaluating other U.S. locations for possible facilities, including in the Midwest and Southeast, Martinez said.

Permitting is underway for the Casa Grande facility and will last for a few weeks. Martinez said once permits are issued, construction should begin within a week or two.

90 new jobs to come

Hiring will begin first for management roles, with a focus on safety. Once managers are hired, NRS will be hiring for administrative roles, warehouse technicians and truck drivers. Martinez said college degrees, along with experience, are preferred for management-level jobs.

College degrees will not be a requirement for some of the other jobs at the facility, and NRS will provide specific training for those roles.

NRS works with semiconductor industry companies in other countries but not yet in the United States, Martinez said.

“NRS will engage with many large companies to be a preferred supplier and grow our business in North America,” he said.

The facility is expected to open at the end of 2024.

“Now home to the first NRS distribution facility in North America, Casa Grande continues its momentum as a notable location for semiconductor players,” Chris Camacho, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, said in a statement.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s $40 billion plant is under construction in north Phoenix.

In July, TSMC announced a one-year delay in the start of chip production in Arizona. The pace of equipment installation is said to be significantly behind schedule at the plant, which President Joe Biden visited last fall.

The holdup is partly attributable to a lack of skilled employees in the Phoenix area needed to install specialized equipment. Chairman Mark Liu, in a second-quarter earnings call, said the company is sending more specialized workers to Arizona to address the delay.