Sumitomo Expands Search For Plant Site

Representatives of a Japanese electronics company are taking a closer look at Phoenix as a possible site for a $900 million plant since county officials in Oregon refused the give the company a tax break.

Commissioners for Oregon’s Yamhill County voted down $8 million in proposed property tax incentives for the two-phase wafer manufacturing plant planned by Sumitomo Sitix Silicon. The wafers are building blocks for semiconductors.

Besides Phoenix and Portland, two other locations were understood to be in the running.

“We suspect Oregon was the preferred site for Sumitomo until the tax package was not successfully passed for the company’s development there last week,” said Dave Krietor, director of community and economic development for Phoenix.