What’s New: Applied Materials celebrated the opening of its new facility in Heredia, Costa Rica. The company’s first-ever operation in Latin America, the new site is part of a strategy to expand the global footprint of critical functions that support Applied’s core semiconductor business.

The Big Picture: The facility will be home to a professional services team and is expected to create approximately 100 full-time jobs in supply chain management and procurement, with the possibility of increasing that number in the coming years. These roles are integral to sourcing components for the company’s advanced wafer fabrication equipment.

The new location is designed to benefit from Costa Rica’s skilled bilingual workforce and proximity to key Applied Materials U.S. sites, including the company’s headquarters and state-of-the-art R&D center in California’s Silicon Valley and its high-volume manufacturing operation in Austin, Texas.

Executive Perspective: “The opening of our Costa Rica office marks an exciting milestone for the growth of Applied Materials’ supply chain operations,” said Dr. Paul Chhabra, Group Vice President of Global Supply Chain at Applied Materials. “We deeply appreciate the support from the Ministry of Trade and PROCOMER, and we look forward to many years of success here in Costa Rica.”

"Applied Materials clearly represents our national aspiration to strengthen our capabilities in the semiconductor industry. As the world’s leading semiconductor and display equipment company, their presence contributes to the reinforcement of our value chains, the development of highly specialized talent, and the sophistication of our productive matrix. Their establishment in the country is a demonstration to the world that launching the Semiconductor Roadmap last year, the first in Latin America, is a national effort that is worthwhile and resonates in global markets," said Minister of Foreign Trade, Manuel Tovar.

In addition, Laura López, CEO of the Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER), also stated: “When a global semiconductor leader like Applied Materials chooses Costa Rica to operate critical supply chain functions, it sends a clear message about the level of sophistication we have achieved as a country. This investment not only creates quality jobs and drives the development of specialized talent but also represents a unique opportunity for Costa Rica to strengthen its presence in the global semiconductor industry. At PROCOMER, we will continue promoting projects that elevate our productive profile and generate value within our communities.”