FormFactor to Build Advanced MEMS Manufacturing Plant in Farmers Branch, Texas
FormFactor, a leading supplier of semiconductor probe technology, will invest more than $140 million in 2026 to build an advanced manufacturing facility in Farmers Branch, near Dallas. The move deepens Texas presence in the semiconductor supply chain, promises local jobs and supplier activity, and underscores U.S. efforts to onshore critical chip equipment production.
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FormFactor, Inc., a maker of microelectro mechanical systems probes used to test and characterize microchips, has selected Farmers Branch, Texas as the site for a new advanced manufacturing facility and plans to invest in excess of $140 million in capital spending during 2026. The company said it has shipped billions of MEMS probes to date and maintains an installed base of more than 10,000 probe systems worldwide, signaling the strategic importance of the new site to global chip production and testing capacity.
The investment represents a notable expansion of the domestic industrial footprint for semiconductor test and measurement equipment. Test probes and probe systems are a crucial link in the production chain because they verify wafer level electrical performance before chips are packaged. By locating production in Texas, FormFactor positions itself closer to a cluster of semiconductor manufacturing and assembly operations in the central United States, a trend accelerated by high value demand for chips used in data centers, artificial intelligence, and telecommunications.
The planned capital outlay in 2026 is substantial for a test equipment supplier, and comes amid a broader wave of chip related investment following federal and state initiatives to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing. The Bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act authorized roughly 52 billion dollars for semiconductor production and research when it was enacted, aimed at reducing supply chain vulnerabilities and incentivizing onshore production. Equipment makers such as FormFactor play an enabling role in those efforts because fabs and assembly plants depend on specialized tooling and test systems to operate and qualify processes.
Local economic effects are likely to be meaningful. A 140 million dollar investment will generate construction activity and create permanent roles in manufacturing, engineering, quality assurance, and operations, although FormFactor has not disclosed a specific job count. Beyond direct employment, the facility could stimulate demand for local suppliers, precision machining firms, and technical service providers. Municipal tax receipts and commercial real estate markets in Farmers Branch and the broader Dallas Fort Worth metro area could also see modest benefits from increased economic activity.
Market implications extend beyond the immediate region. Increasing domestic capacity for probe systems can reduce lead times for U.S based fabs and strengthen resilience against supply disruptions concentrated overseas. For the semiconductor equipment sector, further investment in MEMS probe manufacturing signals steady demand for test apparatus as wafer starts and capital equipment spending have recovered from cyclical downturns driven by the pandemic and inventory adjustments.
The next phase will focus on qualification and ramp up, which FormFactor describes as aggressive. That timeline suggests the company expects sustained demand for probe systems as chipmakers expand capacity to meet rising compute needs. For Farmers Branch and state economic development officials, the announcement presents an opportunity to build workforce partnerships and capture ancillary supply chain investments that typically follow a major equipment maker. As policymakers and industry watchers continue to push for a more robust domestic semiconductor ecosystem, the new FormFactor facility will be a practical test of how manufacturing and supplier networks can scale in the United States.
