Riverside County will represent California at SEMICON Taiwan this September, joining the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development at one of the world’s premier semiconductor industry events. For Riverside County and the broader Inland Empire, this trade mission is an opportunity to tell a manufacturing story the region is well-positioned to own.
Semiconductors matter because they are not a standalone industry. They sit inside a much larger manufacturing value chain. Chips support automobiles, aerospace and defense systems, medical devices, robotics, energy infrastructure, logistics technology, automation, and advanced consumer and industrial products. At the same time, semiconductor production and related operations rely on suppliers in plastics, metals, precision components, packaging, cleanroom services, electronics assembly, equipment maintenance, and advanced manufacturing systems.
That creates a direct opportunity for Inland Empire manufacturers.
Riverside County’s economy already exceeds $135 billion in GDP, with a labor force of more than 1.19 million people. The region also sits near Southern California’s aerospace, defense, medical device, EV, electronics, and logistics markets, while offering industrial land, transportation access, and a growing technical workforce. These strengths make the county a credible place to pursue semiconductor-related investment.
The near-term opportunity is not limited to a major chip fabrication plant. Riverside County and the Inland Empire can compete for high-value parts of the semiconductor chain, including advanced packaging, testing, power electronics, equipment suppliers, cleanroom components, precision plastics, metal fabrication, electronics assembly, and supply-chain support.
This matters for workforce and economic development as well. Semiconductor and electronic component manufacturing is one of the faster-growing manufacturing subsectors nationally by projected job growth, and it supports the kinds of technical careers community colleges are working to build: maintenance, mechatronics, quality, cleanroom operations, electronics, automation, and process improvement.
For Inland Empire manufacturers, the message is clear: semiconductor investment is not just about chips. It is about strengthening the region’s manufacturing ecosystem, creating new customers for existing suppliers, and positioning the Inland Empire for higher-value industrial growth.
