Silicon Box to invest $3.6 billion in Italian expansion
Singaporean semiconductor advanced panel-level packaging foundry, Silicon Box, says that it will bring first-of-its-kind, end-to-end chiplet based semiconductor system integration to Europe, more specifically to Italy.
The company intends to collaborate with the Italian government to invest up to USD 3.6 billion (EUR 3.2 billion ) in Northern Italy, to set up a new semiconductor assembly and test facility.
The goal is for this facility to help meet critical demand for advanced packaging capacity and to enable the next-generation technologies that Silicon Box anticipates by 2028.
The multi-year investment will replicate Silicon Box’s flagship foundry in Singapore – which has proven capability and capacity for advanced semiconductor packaging solutions – and then expand further into 3D integration and testing. Once completed, the new facility will support approximately 1,600 Silicon Box employees in Italy.
Silicon Box states in a press release that the design and planning for the facility will start immediately, and that construction will start as soon as the European Commission approves planned financial support by the Italian State.
“We believe innovation is driven by cultural values that embrace curiosity, passion, and a tireless commitment to excellence,” said Dr. Byung Joon (BJ) Han, co-founder and CEO of Silicon Box, in the press release. “Italy was one of our top choices for global expansion because we found that its culture shares our values. We have seen great promise through our collaborations with the Italian government and various regional, institutional and commercial stakeholders to date, which we know will be necessary to successfully execute this first-of-a-kind project in Europe.”
Mike Han, Silicon Box’s Head of Business, says that Silicon Box’s new foundry in Italy will be able to accept wafers from all foundries and support a wide variety of customers, globally.
“The location is well suited to work with Europe’s existing and planned semiconductor wafer fabrication clusters in Italy, Germany, and France. Proximity will enable close collaboration from design through to final manufacturing, and help increase resilience and cost efficiency of the European and global semiconductor supply chain, at a time when there is a global shortage for this type of technology.”
Silicon Box built its first advanced packaging facility in Singapore within a year and began shipping finished products to customers three months after the factory’s opening. Something the company is looking to replicate with the Italian site.
