The Czech town of Roznov pod Radhostem was best known for its rum-drenched sweet pies and an open-air museum showcasing historic wooden houses. Then came an announcement that sent the sleepy hinterland into a frenzy.
US chipmaker ON Semiconductor chose Roznov in June for a new $2 billion manufacturing hub. Recent weeks have seen a flurry of visits from project developers, the head of a local university and government officials followed by TV crews.
The interest is not surprising, given that the investment is the largest by a foreign company in the Czech Republic in three decades. But it also reflects how the stakes are higher in the plan to create a new generation of microchips than in the prospects of a corner of Central Europe.
