KLA opens $138M R&D and manufacturing facility in Wales
KLA Corporation has inaugurated a new USD 138 million R&D and manufacturing facility in Newport, Wales, expanding its footprint in the UK. It will serve as the new home for KLA's SPTS division, which specialises in advanced wafer processing technologies.
The newly opened 237,000-square-foot complex features 25,000 square feet of clean rooms dedicated to R&D and 35,000 square feet of manufacturing space, including demonstration areas – all designed to support development of semiconductor process technologies across advanced packaging, power devices, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), radio frequency (RF) and photonics sector technology.
"KLA brings together expertise in process and process control, providing customers with the breadth and depth they need to innovate and improve device performance," said Dan Collins, site leader and general manager at KLA, in a press release. "As industry drivers like AI increase demand for advanced chips, our expansion in Wales and strong product portfolio position us to meet that demand—building on our rich history and investing in new technology, talent and long-term community partnerships."
The facility has a stated capacity to accommodate up to 750 employees.
The UK government welcomed the investment. Jo Stevens, Secretary of State for Wales, noted the strategic value of the country’s compound semiconductor sector and emphasised ongoing efforts to strengthen the domestic talent pipeline, referencing a recent GBP 5 million funding initiative.