Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Joins TTM Technologies to Celebrate Beam Signing at $130 Million High-Tech Manufacturing Facility in the Town of Dewitt
Governor Hochul: “It’s more than just a building — it’s a place that’s dedicated to strengthening our overall economy. And don’t lose sight of that because it allows our military and security interests around the globe to be furthered.”
Hochul: “We’re builders, we’re doers, we get it done. And all of us carry that torch forward of hard working, dedicated individuals who love our communities, love our families. We love the companies we work for, that is what we describe as part of the New York State DNA.”
Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul joined officials from TTM Technologies (TTM) for a beam signing ceremony at the site of its new manufacturing facility located in Central New York. Today’s announcement comes during Manufacturing Month, which highlights the manufacturing industry’s many contributions to the state and nation. A leading global manufacturer of technology solutions, TTM is building a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility which will be co-located on approximately 23 acres adjacent to TTM’s existing production facility in the Town of DeWitt, Onondaga County. TTM is expected to invest up to $130 million for the new facility and create an additional 400 good paying jobs, bringing the company’s Central New York workforce to 1,000. TTM will produce Ultra-High Density Interconnect (UHDI) Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) that will primarily be used for U.S. military applications. TTM will also invest in research and development to further integrate substrate and UHDI PCB technologies across the United States. TTM’s new facility will be one of the first in the nation to specialize in manufacturing UHDI PCBs and advanced packaging.
A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:
Thank you, Tom. It is so great to be back here; it reminds me of another gorgeous fall day. Two years ago — actually today, two years ago today — we kicked off manufacturing month by announcing that Micron had selected Syracuse as its new home, investing $100 billion and generating 50,000 brand new jobs. Two days later, after that, we announced that IBM was investing another $20 billion in their Hudson Valley operations dedicated to quantum computing.
So, I look back as — that week, two years ago — as an historic week that really launched the rebirth of manufacturing across the State of New York: a lightning strike, a transformation, the likes of what we’ve not seen in at least 50 years. And today, we keep that momentum going. As we raise this symbolic beam that we just signed, making TTM’s new commitment to New York another major win for our ecosystem of innovation.
And, I will say this, there have been incredible partners. I’m so delighted to have had the chance to get to know Tom and Cathie through the process — many conversations. You will know this about myself and certainly Senator Schumer — we team up together, we’re very competitive, not with each other, but when there is an opportunity out there, it’s like Josh Allen, the Buffalo Bills, we’re going out there and bringing home the big win. We get a little setback once a week, but then you make it up the next week.
Any Mets fans here? We got the Yankees, possibly. It’s a great day and a great week for New York sports. But, as someone who is competitive to my core, I certainly wouldn’t be in this position. The fact that we’re able to win this great victory for New York to land TTM’s expansion here, building on over 600 people who already have good, hardworking jobs and good paying jobs and supporting their families right here in Central New York — to be able to add 400 more and beyond; this is a phenomenally good week for all of us as well.
It’s more than just a building — it’s a place that’s dedicated to strengthening our overall economy. And don’t lose sight of that because it allows our military and security interests around the globe to be furthered.
You think about it, you look at these pictures here. Someday soon, a Green Beret who is on a perilous mission thousands of miles away, trying to protect our freedom, our very rights, may depend on the technology that’s made right here in Central New York. That should fill your hearts with pride to have this here. And if you work here, the extraordinary workforce, bringing your talents at all levels to do something, not just for yourselves and your families and our economy in New York, but literally to help save America and defend us against foreign enemies. That’s extraordinary to me.
So, it’s not just the economic impact, it’s the difference it’s going to make for our national defense. And our nation is in competition with other countries in a race for advanced technologies. Not just the semiconductors, but the microelectronics we’ve made here, and a key ingredient for semiconductors for so many.
Think about this. From military communications, AI supercomputers, which we’re building down the road in Buffalo, in case you haven’t paid attention to that — over $400 million, first ever — we will be building the nation’s largest supercomputer dedicated to AI. No other state had the audacity to do this and we’re doing it right at the University at Buffalo, democratizing the power of AI and getting it out to researchers and students and professors all over our state. So, what you’re doing here is all part of that narrative; part of that story.
As I mentioned competition — I don’t want to lose to the Chinese, okay? Let’s just put that out there. They’re also focused on trying to dominate this particular industry. And we say, “No, we’re going to do it better, smarter, more efficiently, with a workforce that is by far the most talented in the country.”
And also, we can’t outsource our safety and our success to other countries. When you think about, not just the threats from foreign actors, but even supply chain disruptions — we all took a sigh of relief when the dock strike, the national strike from Maine all the way to Texas, the dock workers walking off their jobs in pursuit of better wages — we were all very anxious about what that could do. And it brought back the images of what happened to our industries during the pandemic, when supply chain disruptions at our ports led to the cessation of building cars in Detroit because they couldn’t get the semiconductor piece units they needed. So, we also look at this larger than just what’s happening here. I want you to know that.
That’s why I believe that this is a way to protect our prosperity. And to know it’s made right here — you describe Ultra-High Density Interconnect Printed Circuit Boards. That’s a mouthful. I’m going to call it, “the really cool PCBs,” okay? And they’re used in critical components — critical parts — of our military, and you know that for sure. You’ve made New York home for many generations, you mentioned that, Tom, and we want to make sure that this is your home for many, many decades and generations to come. And, to know that you chose New York — in one sense, and you won’t hear this from many governors, this is humbling for us because you didn’t have to choose us.
There are other states that put forth well thought out plans, I’m sure. But we have a chance to go tell New Yorkers that there’s a company of the caliber of TTM, headquartered in California, that believes in us. It starts to change the psychology of not just the people.
I know what it’s like to be from Upstate — I know the psychology, and I know how we took a beating. The fact that I’m out of six kids growing up in Buffalo, my grandparents and dad worked at the steel plant, and it all shut down one day and my siblings couldn’t get jobs anywhere in Western New York or even New York State. There was a tough time in our economy.
So people of my age still walk around with that sense of, “Oh, it could happen again. It could happen again.” That security that’s pulled out from under you. I’m telling you, my friends, it’s back — that sense of “can do” spirit. We can make things, we’re the smartest, we’re the brightest, we’re the hardest working, and that is the argument I use.
TTM already knows that. That’s why I don’t think it was that hard to pick New York, was it? No. It couldn’t have been that hard, right? But when we had a talk with Micron and all these other companies that are coming, and there are so many, I said, “We can all give you financial advantages, we can talk about. But no one can give you the caliber of workers who have steeped in their DNA, that strong work ethic that comes from parents and grandparents and great grandparents, building our economy all the way back to the Erie Canal.”
We’re builders, we’re doers, we get it done. And all of us carry that torch forward of hard working, dedicated individuals who love our communities, love our families. We love the companies we work for. That is what we describe as part of the New York State DNA and our work ethic. So, to work with all of you to bring this here today — the Town of DeWitt, congratulations. I was a town official for many, many years, supervisor, to land something like this, it would have been a very big day in my town. And I’m so proud we could help out with a $22 million investment, $5 million from Upstate Revitalization and $17 million in Excelsior Credits.
And again, this doesn’t happen alone. I want to thank Hope Knight, the President and CEO of Empire State Development. Hope, please stand up, because you are driving so many of these projects.
County Executive Ryan McMahon also wants to always land the big one, and he’s been so successful. It’s been a real privilege to work with you.
Rob Simpson and I were reminiscing about the hundreds of times I came to the Central New York area as Lieutenant Governor driving by. I always found some reason to stop by and do a groundbreaking, a ribbon cutting, give a talk to CenterState, and you must also just have a sense of pride. I hope you have that, Rob, because you have been the hand behind the scenes that made so much of this magic happen. Let’s give Rob Simpson another round of applause as well.
Randy Wolken, the President and CEO of MACNY, always talking to me for the last decade about how important manufacturing. Where are you, Randy? Manufacturing, and also, this is an enlightened guy, who talked to me a decade ago about how we get more women into the workplace, and he said we need more child care. Randy, you’re spot on, and I’m so proud of the companies that understand this and are trying to help their employees as we try to diversify and bring more voices to the workplace. So, thank you, Randy, for that.
And again, Ed Michalenko, our Supervisor at the Town of DeWitt. I want to thank all of you. That’s what collaboration looks like, that’s what success looks like and we’re going to continue on this path because we’re just getting started. But, thank you for believing in us. We believe in you, we thank you for this thousands of different ways, but ultimately, we are a better state because TTM has decided to expand here.
Thank you very much, everyone. Thank you.
October 4, 2024 Albany, NY
Sources: NY State NY.gov, Midtown Tribune ,
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