Swissbit expands its manufacturing capability in Berlin
A new USD multi-million investment will add a new new semiconductor packaging line to Swissbit's electronics production in Berlin, Germany.
Swissbit is continuing with its strategic expansion plans at its production facility in Berlin, Germany. The company's new semiconductor packaging line will offer a significant performance boost and operates on average up to 50% more efficiently than existing lines. It is used for the fully automated production of highly integrated memory solutions, including ultra-compact e.MMCs, the company states in a press release.
The new equipment will also position Swissbit as one of the only businesses in Europe able to produce solderable components such as BGAs (ball grid arrays) from small batches to high volumes, with a capacity of up to three million pieces per month.
"The new line is a further building block in our strategic plan to ensure the highest quality for our products by fully controlling the production process. We are able to perfectly optimize the design from chip to package to module, firmware and manufacturing technology, allowing us to offer a range of services that are unmatched in Europe," says Lars Lust, General Manager APATS (Advanced Packaging, Assembly & Test Solutions) and Berlin Site Manager at Swissbit, in the press release.
A total of 15 machines make up the new production line for system-in-package components, together with various conveyor systems, buffers, and loading and unloading stations. Swissbit says that it has invested EUR 1.5 million alone in the installation of the production line –which is now fully operational.
Around EUR 5 million have been invested overall. Since 2008, the company has been manufacturing exclusively in Berlin, and at the end of 2019, the company opened a new facility on more than 20,000 square metres of land, as previously reported by Evertiq. Currently, the site employs 250 people, and that number is set to grow.
"The ability to produce highly complex BGAs such as e.MMCs or NVMe BGAs completely independently and without the support of third-party manufacturers is becoming increasingly important for our customers globally. We provide everything from a single source and can guarantee requirements such as a Trusted Supply Chain, total traceability, or compliance with strict safety specifications. The investment further underlines the importance of our Berlin location and our ambition to specifically strengthen the European semiconductor industry in the wake of geopolitical challenges and crises," the site manager continues.
