Silicon Box selects Piedmont for €3.2B Italian chip foundry

Silicon Box has announced that Novara in Piedmont will be the site of the company’s new, first-of-a-kind advanced semiconductor packaging and testing foundry. 

The co-founders of Silicon Box, together with Minister Adolfo Urso, Presidente Alberto Cirio of the Piedmont region, and Mayor Alessandro Canelli of the municipality of Novara, have signed a letter of intent outlining their commitment for collaboration related to the site and investment – subject to the European Commission approval of the planned financial support to be granted by Italy.

The site in Novara and Piedmont was selected from a shortlist of sites and regions in Northern Italy through a detailed evaluation process. 

“Silicon Box’s advanced packaging facility in Novara is expected to create up to 1,600 highly paid jobs and bring first-of-a-kind advanced semiconductor packaging and testing capabilities to Italy, and to Europe,” said Dr. Byung Joon Han, CEO and cofounder of Silicon Box, in a press release.

Earlier this year, Silicon Box announced its intention to collaborate with the Italian government to invest up to EUR 3.2 billion (USD 3.6 billion) in Northern Italy. The facility will help meet critical demand for advanced packaging capacity to enable next-generation technologies that Silicon Box anticipates by 2028. The multi-year investment replicates Silicon Box’s flagship foundry in Singapore, before further expansion into 3D integration and testing.

“Design and planning for the facility is already underway, with construction to commence pending European Commission approval of planned financial support by the Italian State,” added co-founder, Weili Dai.

Silicon Box’s Novara factory is planned to begin construction in mid-2025, with initial production expected to begin in 2028.