Draper Breaks Ground on New Microelectronics Building in Lowell

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Draper recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new microelectronics building in Lowell, Massachusetts. The building will house Draper's Integrated Microelectronics Production & Advanced Chip Technology (IMPACT) Center.  

An integral part of the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC), the IMPACT Center will be a 111,000 square foot building with advanced microelectronic design, production, and packaging facilities to deliver cutting-edge technology to Draper's customers. The Center will create more than 100 new highly skilled jobs, including technicians, advanced degree engineers, and business executives.

Construction is being supported, in part, by state and local funding in partnership with the city of Lowell to strengthen the defense ecosystem in the Commonwealth.

"Microelectronics are a critical component in nearly every system used to safeguard our nation's interests. To ensure the integrity of these systems, we must build and maintain a domestic microelectronics supply chain – one that is free from foreign influence and disruption," said Jerry M. Wohletz, Ph.D., Draper's president and CEO. "The IMPACT Center will expand our onshore capacity to create and deploy the systems our nation depends on. At the same time, the IMPACT Center will drive the local economy by creating new jobs for Lowell residents and UMass Lowell graduates and strengthen Massachusetts' position in the defense industrial base."

"The groundbreaking of the IMPACT Center reflects the continued growth of LINC and UMass Lowell's relationship with Draper," said UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen. "By bringing industry and academia together in close proximity, LINC creates an innovation ecosystem where researchers can exchange ideas, students can gain career-connected experiences, and companies can tap into the university's resources and expertise. The IMPACT Center will deepen those connections, leading to innovations in microelectronics while helping develop the future workforce."

"Today's groundbreaking represents an exciting investment in Lowell's future and strengthens our city's growing innovation and technology economy," said Lowell Mayor Erik Gitschier. "Draper's new IMPACT Center will bring more skilled jobs, expand opportunities for our residents, and strengthen the partnership between the City of Lowell, UMass Lowell, and the Commonwealth. This project is another important step in positioning Lowell as a center for advanced manufacturing, research, and workforce development. On behalf of the City Council, we welcome this investment and look forward to the opportunities it will create for our Lowell community."

Upon completion in 2029, the IMPACT Center will offer manufacturing services spanning design to field-ready systems that meet the specific needs of Draper's customers. The Center will enable high-mix, low-volume production supporting domains ranging from microelectronics to advanced precision navigation and timing systems.

"Advanced chip packaging, which bundles multiple chips into a single assembly for placement onto a circuit board, is a critical part of building complex, high-performance systems," said Colleen Anderson, Electronic Systems program director at Draper. "But only 3 percent of chip packaging is performed in the United States today. The IMPACT Center will help to fill this void by providing a reliable domestic source for some of the most sophisticated systems our country produces."

The IMPACT Center will be located in the Hamilton Canal Innovation District and is part of the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC). LINC is an innovation ecosystem that stretches from the UMass Lowell campus into downtown Lowell that drives research, workforce development and economic growth while creating opportunities for students, faculty, companies and the community. Draper is an anchor tenant in LINC and currently has a corporate campus established within the corridor.

Draper is pleased to be teaming with Wexford Science & Technology as the real estate developer for the project alongside GMH Communities and First Atlantic. In support of the development team is Shawmut Design and Construction and Burns & McDonnell.

Distinguished guests attending the ceremony included Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, U.S. Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan, University of Massachusetts Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen, and Lowell Mayor Erik R. Gitschier. Draper President and CEO Jerry Wohletz hosted the event. He was joined by Chief Investment Officer and Senior Vice President of Development at Wexford Science & Technology, John Grady.