Soitec opens 300mm wafer fab in Singapore

Soitec has inaugurated its new 300mm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer fab in new Pasir Ris Wafer Fab Park, Singapore. In addition to supplying SOI wafers for the game console chips produced in Asia, the factory will support the region's use of SOI wafers in other high-volume consumer products.

The new Singapore fab, known as Pasir Ris 1, is Soitec's first manufacturing facility in Asia. It represents a strategic part of the group's investment plan to expand worldwide production capacity, and forge closer relationships with customers worldwide.

In parallel, Soitec's strategic investments in the Pasir Ris fab have accelerated the implementation of a complementary wafer recycling process. This key "refresh" step is now integrated in the manufacturing lines, contributing to the key objective of the Group to reduce costs.

"This new 300mm wafer fabrication plant benefits from the strong support of Singapore's Economic Development Board, access to a world-class business environment and a talented workforce," says Emmanuel Ar锟絥e, executive VP, Soitec Group industrial operations and CEO of Soitec Singapore Pte Ltd. "The construction has taken advantage of the newest manufacturing technologies, as well as Soitec's extensive engineered substrate production knowledge, gained from years of manufacturing experience."

"We are pleased that Soitec, the world's leading SOI substrate manufacturer, has chosen Singapore as its first overseas manufacturing location. Its presence creates strong synergies with Singapore's semiconductor ecosystem, and further increases the competitiveness of Singapore in the global semiconductor industry. This is a win-win partnership between Soitec and Singapore," says Lim Hng Kiang, Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry.

Built on a 2.7-hectare site, Pasir Ris 1 has more than 4,000 square meters of clean-room space. Total investment is expected to be approximately $450.5 million at full capacity. The new fab currently employs more than 100 people. Upon the market's upturn, the fab is designed to facilitate a swift ramp, up to a final capacity of one million wafers per year and a workforce of 500 people.