777 N Pinal Ave, Casa Grande, AZ 85122

Casa Grande is not Phoenix.

However, it’s only about 45 minutes from Casa Grand to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Similar to several suburbs of Phoenix such as Buckeye, AZ (35 minutes). Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is about 40 minutes from Queen Creek hotels (Also a suburb of Phoenix).

Proximity to a major airport is not much different than any of the Phoenix suburbs.

An astute developer recently opened the dual branded Marriott Towne Place and Fairfield in in Casa Grande.

Casa Grande’s hotel demand is much more industrial and logistics-driven than most Arizona secondary markets. The city sits directly between Phoenix and Tucson on I-10, so lodging demand comes from manufacturing, construction, distribution, transportation, and workforce travel more than traditional tourism.

This is exactly how emerging markets mature, quietly at first, then quickly. If you’re watching where Arizona’s next wave of opportunity is forming, Casa Grande deserves a closer look.

KPPC Advanced Chemicals Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of the Kanto Group, began construction Dec. 19 on the first phase of its manufacturing campus at the Sonoran Valley Industrial Park. The first phase of the project represents a $120 million investment and will create 80 new jobs with production to begin in late 2027.

“The Arizona plant marks an important milestone in KANTO-PPC’s global expansion,” Jerry Lu, chairman and CEO of Kanto-PPC, said in a statement. “By establishing this site, we strengthen our ability to serve customers across North America with the quality, reliability, and speed demanded by the world’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturers.”

KPPC's facility will produce ultrapure and proprietary functional chemicals used in semiconductor fabrication, wafer cleanings, etching, chemical mechanical planarization, photolithography and advanced packaging, according to a company release.

The facility, when complete, will supply Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Intel Corp., Micron Technology and other U.S. chipmakers with high-purity materials required for the next generation of logic and memory technologies.

At full buildout, KPPC’s semiconductor chemical campus will employ 200 people with a total projected investment of $500 million by 2035, according to the company.

KPPC plans to partner with regional workforce programs, community colleges, and technical institutes to support talent development in chemical operations, laboratory analysis, maintenance engineering and semiconductor manufacturing support, according to the company.

“This investment strengthens Arizona’s rapidly expanding, world-class semiconductor ecosystem by bringing the essential manufacturing of ultrapure chemicals to the heart of where they are needed,” Gov. Katie Hobbs said in a statement. “Best of all, it will create approximately 200 high-quality, full-time jobs for Arizonans, and collaborate with our community colleges to prepare our workforce for advanced roles. Projects like this one are key to building a resilient, localized materials network right here in Arizona.”

KPPC Advanced Chemicals was not immediately available for comment on the projected size of its campus or when it will break ground on subsequent phases of the project.

KPPC purchased a 50-acre site for its chemical manufacturing facility near the southeast corner of Burris Road and State Route 84 for $3.7 million in July 2022. The company chose to build its manufacturing site in Casa Grande because of its competitive land price, efficient rail infrastructure, housing affordability and high-quality schools, the Business Journal previously reported.

“Arizona has emerged as North America’s premier semiconductor hub — home to the most advanced chip processing technology in the country,” Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority, said in a statement. “KPPC’s new campus represents a vital ecosystem addition and showcases the expansive supply chain growth taking place across the state.”

KPPC joins growing number of manufacturers in Pinal CountyKPPC joins a growing number of semiconductor suppliers and other manufacturers that operate in Pinal County.

In October, Brazilian company Chlorum announced plans to build a $70 million chemical production plant on a 10-acre site near the northwest corner of Burris and Alamo roads in Casa Grande.

Chlorum’s plant will produce sodium hypochlorite — also known as bleach — hydrochloric acid, and caustic soda directly from salt to support its customers in Arizona. The products are base chemicals used in several industries, including advanced manufacturing, chemical processing and municipal and industrial water treatment, the Business Journal previously reported.

Casa Grande, which is a 40-minute drive south of Phoenix, is also home to Kohler’s 1-million-square-foot manufacturing plant and Lucid Group’s AMP-1 facility, where the California-based electric vehicle company manufactures its Lucid Air sedans and Gravity SUVs.

Others companies with operations in Casa Grande include Chang Chun Arizona, a TSMC supplier building a new $300 million facility for electronic-grade chemicals for semiconductors. The first phase of that project will total 109,346 square feet.

Air Products, one of the world’s largest hydrogen producers, also has a green liquid hydrogen production facility in the works in Casa Grande.