Salem, Oregon

Salem is the capital of the state of Oregon in the United States of America, and county seat of Marion County. As of 2003 it has a population of 142,940. It lies in the center of the fertile Willamette Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world.

Economy

The city's focus is primarily governmental, but it serves as a hub for the farming communities and is one of the largest centers of food processing in the nation. It lies along the I-5 corridor and is within an hour's drive of Portland.

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In a bid to diversify its economic base, Salem attracted a number of computer-related manufacturing plants in the 1990s. In November, 2003, the Sumitomo Mitsubishi Silicon Group, one of these arrivals, announced that they will close their two silicon wafer plants at the end of 2004, eliminating 620 jobs, and moving the production to other plants.

Related Topics:
1990s - Silicon - Wafer - 2004

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