• Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. update
• May Mobility is launching autonomous vehicles in Sun City.
• Chamber announces home show expansions to Buckeye.
• Rehrig Pacific Comp. is expected to bring plenty of jobs to the region.
• Chick-fil-A plans to open five new locations, including Surprise & Goodyear
• Target planning new West Valley store
• America's Top Small Business 2023 Awards/Grants

• A presidential visit, a massive construction effort, new suppliers moving in, and billions of dollars in spending. The new Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. complex is one of the most prominent economic projects ever for Arizona and will have a major impact in the NW Valley. The investment has grown even bigger since the company officially announced it would make its U.S. home in Phoenix three years ago in May 2020.

• The advanced technology complex has created jobs, changed the desert landscape, and revitalized the state’s visibility in an increasingly vital industry. The company expects to produce 600,000 semiconductor wafers annually using the most advanced industrial processes in the U.S.

• Wafers are the thin, shiny disks from which individual semiconductors, or chips, are harvested. Those 600,000 or so wafers are expected to generate annual revenue of around $10 billion.

• "Our total investment in Arizona is now $40 billion," making it the "largest foreign direct investment in Arizona history," the company said in an update sent to The Arizona Republic this month. The project also will be one of the most significant foreign investments anywhere in the United States.

• In an update this month, TSMC said about 20% of those solar panels are in place, with installation set to be completed by early 2024. The water-reclamation plant, which the company said will allow nearly every drop to be reused, is also on track.

• The company also said it remains on schedule to start production in late 2024 and is installing specialized tools and equipment. The second fab is under construction, too, with the expectation that it will start production by 2026.

• During his recent visit to the fabs in north Phoenix, TSMC Chairman Liu predicted at least 40 supply companies would locate nearby, bringing perhaps another 13,000 or so jobs.

• May Mobility is launching an on-demand public transit service in Sun City via autonomous vehicles.

• May Mobility is launching an autonomous public transit service in Sun City, marking the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company’s expansion into the Arizona market.

• According to a news release, May Mobility’s shared, on-demand autonomous vehicle service — known as the Valley Wave — is designed to provide senior citizens with “safe, reliable and equitable-on-demand transportation” and is powered by transit technology company Via. The service, provided via an AARP sponsorship, is free to use.

• “We’re fundamentally changing public transit, making it easier and more desirable than having a personal car,” Edwin Olson, CEO of May Mobility, said in a statement.

• Riders in the Sun City service zone can book on-demand rides for the Valley Wave through May Mobility's app, which is available in Apple's App Store and Google Play.

• The Chamber of Commerce announced that its hugely successful Celebrating Community Home & Health shows would expand to the city of Buckeye!

• The event, the Chamber's signature direct-to-consumer show, will be expanded to Sun City Festival and the Festival Foothills communities. One show is planned this fall, and two are planned for 2024.

• With the addition of Buckeye shows, the Chamber will now offer nine events in five communities, including coverage of all the retirement communities in the NW Valley.

• All the events showcase businesses and are part of the Chamber's efforts to connect businesses with residents. The shows offer the latest trends in home improvement, health and wellness, and other businesses.

• Rehrig Pacific Company has begun construction on a new manufacturing plant in Buckeye, and it is expected to bring plenty of jobs to the region.

• Based in Los Angeles, Rehrig is an environmental waste and supply chain partner, creating products for various industries to transport their products. Some products include crates, trays, and bins for the dairy and beverage industries, among several others. 

• Andrew Resler, vice president and head of special projects, said the facility is expected to bring 100 to 125 jobs. However, it can expand even further across the 35 acres Rehrig purchased. 

• A very popular fast-food chicken restaurant has big expansion plans for the Valley.

• Atlanta, Georgia-based Chick-fil-A plans to open five new locations in the Phoenix metro this year, the chain said in an announcement. Five locations will be opened by Valley-based franchisees, and the sixth is a licensed location, according to the chain. These new stores are expected to create 520 jobs.

• Surprise Location. The address will be 16525 W. Waddell Road. This drive-thru-only location is slated to open this summer.

• Goodyear at 1065 N. Estrella Parkway. The free-standing location, with dual-lane drive-thrus, is slated to open this fall.

• The new Target store will be the retailer's second planned for the Valley in recent months.

• Target has made plans for a new store at the Village at Prasada power center after scrapping plans for another site in the same area years ago.

• Target Corp. has plans to anchor Prasada North in a nearly 150,000-square-foot space, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the project and marketing materials.

• Beginning this year, our local Chamber is partnering with the U.S. Chamber to promote the newly reimagined America's Top Small Business Awards (formerly Dream Big Awards) will honor the achievements of small businesses and highlight their contributions to America’s economic growth.

• Applications for America's Top Small Business are now open! Click here to apply!