Lam Research Breaks Ground on $3B Oregon R&D Lab

According to Lam Research Corp., the U.S. semiconductor equipment manufacturer held a groundbreaking ceremony on August 26, 2026, at its world-class research and development center in Tualatin, Oregon, marking the start of construction of a new advanced laboratory. The facility is part of Lam Research’s plan to invest more than $3 billion in its global laboratory network over the next five years, with the goal of accelerating breakthroughs in advanced semiconductor technologies for the artificial intelligence era.

The new facility will cover approximately 120,000 square feet and is located in Oregon’s “Silicon Forest” technology corridor. Once completed, it is expected to increase the cleanroom laboratory space at Lam Research’s Tualatin R&D center by more than 50%. The additional capacity will enable larger-scale experiments, accelerate technology development, and help Lam Research strengthen collaboration with customers.

Lam Research plans to make the new facility one of its most advanced laboratories worldwide. By expanding its research capabilities in Oregon and integrating the site into its global laboratory network, the company aims to shorten product development cycles and accelerate the transition of new semiconductor manufacturing solutions from research to production.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Lam Research President and CEO Tim Archer and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Sesha Varadarajan, along with Oregon U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read, senior executives from Intel and Micron Technology, and representatives from government, community, and nonprofit organizations.

Varadarajan said that delivering next-generation semiconductor technologies at the pace required by AI demands continuous innovation and a strategic focus on technological breakthroughs that matter most to customers. He noted that the new advanced laboratory in Oregon is expected to expand Lam Research’s technical capabilities and add tens of thousands of square feet of cleanroom space, allowing the company to work more closely with customers while strengthening the expertise and reach of its global laboratory network.

The expansion also underscores Lam Research’s commitment to strengthening Oregon’s Silicon Forest as a hub for semiconductor innovation in the United States. The company expressed appreciation for the continued cooperation of the State of Oregon, Washington County, and the City of Tualatin.

The new Oregon laboratory will further strengthen Lam Research’s capabilities in atomic-scale semiconductor manufacturing and expand its expertise in advanced deposition and etch process development, materials science, and hardware validation. As with Lam Research’s existing laboratories, customers will be able to work directly with Lam engineers throughout the product development process, from initial concept development to final deployment in semiconductor fabs.

The facility will also become part of Lam Research’s integrated global laboratory network. These specialized laboratories operate collaboratively across regions, enabling Lam Research and its customers to pursue semiconductor innovation continuously and at scale.

The state-of-the-art Oregon laboratory is expected to open in 2028 and forms part of a broader multi-building expansion at Lam Research’s Tualatin campus. According to third-party assessments, the three-year construction phase is expected to generate approximately 900 jobs and $500 million in economic output.

Once the expansion is completed, it is expected to represent Lam Research’s largest investment in Oregon to date. The project is projected to create more than 400 new jobs and bring the total number of jobs supported by Lam Research across the state to more than 11,000. The expanded operations are also expected to generate more than $1.8 billion in annual economic contributions to Oregon.