A manufacturer on the cutting edge of the semiconductor industry is expanding its Falls Township operations and hiring more employees.
The Falls Township Supervisors on Monday granted preliminary and final land development approval to Air Liquide Electronics to construct four one-story buildings, a 14,000-square-foot administration building, a 17,000-square-foot production building, a two-story 6,330-square-foot emergency response team command center and maintenance shop, several modular buildings and 35 additional parking spaces at the property, which is located at 19 Steel Road West in the heavy industrial district.
“Air Liquide is involved in the microchip industry,” the company’s engineer, Mike Coyle, told the board. “They need to increase production in that area.”
Air Liquide officials said the expansion would create between 20 to 40 new employees and that hiring would be “staggered.” The administration building is meant to house additional offices and corporate space in conjunction with the growth.
According to its website, Air Liquide, which was founded in 1902, manufactures semiconductor chips used for computing processors, memories, sensors, micro-controllers and power devices. The company also manufactures solar photovoltaic systems, as well as flat panel displays commonly used in smartphones and other electronic devices.
Township engineer Joseph Jones of Jones Engineering Associates gave the project his stamp of approval.
“It’s a good development,” Jones told the board. “The applicant is expanding for a technology that might be the first in the country. It’s kind of a righteous cause and the engineering is sound.”
