The upgrade will enable the plant to manufacture C-SOI wafers and other demanding wafers. The company, which was acquired by the Chinese National Silicon Industry Group (NSIG) last year, has committed EUR 40 million to the development of the Vantaa plant.

Okmetic supplies its global customers with tailored, high value-added silicon wafers to be used in the manufacture of sensors, discrete semiconductors and analog circuits. The company's strategy is to focus on wafers requiring high technological expertise, such as the SOI product family and specialized wafers in 150–200 mm diameter. The production line of the new factory building will primarily focus on processed C-SOI wafers with built-in customer-specific cavity structures. As a result of the investment, these new advanced wafers will be manufactured from start to finish at Vantaa.

"This is a major commitment to create new capabilities both in products and production. As a result of the investment in technology, increasingly advanced wafers for various technological applications can be manufactured centrally. The investment will strengthen Okmetic's standing as a leading wafer supplier for the sensor industry and reinforce our product supply chain," says Okmetic’s President Kai Seikku.

Construction work at the Vantaa plant will start in spring 2017. The new production line will also create new employment opportunities. White-collar recruitment will start already this spring, and production workers will be recruited next year. The plant expansion is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.