Radiance Grows in Louisiana with $370 Million Microchip Facility

Staff @ LT&C
Sep 25
1 min read

Louisiana is positioning itself at the forefront of secure microchip manufacturing with a new $370 million investment by defense contractor Radiance Technologies. The company will build a 40,000-square-foot facility in Ruston, housing research and development, design, and fabrication operations.

Radiance already has sites in Baton Rouge and Shreveport, and the Ruston expansion is expected to create 150 direct jobs at an average salary of $85,000 — a wage 180% above the parish average. Louisiana Economic Development projects an additional 146 indirect jobs, bringing the total potential new job count to nearly 300 in the Northwest region.

The project is being supported by a $20 million performance-based grant from LED to the Louisiana Tech University Foundation, tied to equipment purchases at the new facility. LED is also investing $17 million to upgrade research infrastructure and develop specialized training programs in secure chip manufacturing.

Louisiana Tech, a long-time partner to Radiance, will integrate its faculty and students into the facility’s operations, leveraging the university’s strengths in cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and microelectronics. Officials emphasized that the expansion not only boosts local economic development but also contributes to national security and global competitiveness in semiconductor supply chains.

Construction is slated to begin in spring 2026, with completion anticipated in summer 2027.

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