AT&S to open Europe's first advanced IC substrate facility in June
AT&S is preparing to open a new high-tech production facility for advanced IC substrates and packaging technologies in Leoben, Austria. Set to officially launch in June 2025, the site will be the first of its kind in Europe and is expected to play a key role in strengthening Europe's microelectronics supply chain.
The facility includes an integrated research centre and is part of AT&S’s contribution to the EU-backed IPCEI on Microelectronics and Communication Technologies (IPCEI ME/CT), a multi-national initiative aimed at boosting Europe’s semiconductor capabilities.
“The new competence center in Leoben is currently undergoing process qualification and will officially open in June 2025,” says Hannes Voraberger, Head of Research and Development at AT&S, in a press release. “This is an important milestone for AT&S’s contributions to the IPCEI ME/CT. This project has played an important role for us for a long time and we are pleased to show what we have achieved.”
Once operational, the plant will enable AT&S to produce advanced IC substrates, which are crucial for the development of more powerful and efficient microchips. "This will not only create new jobs in Austria, but will also help to secure Europe’s long-term prosperity," according to the company.
Further, AT&S says that the new plant in Leoben is well on its way to becoming a global center for the development and production of IC substrates for 2-nanometer microchips, virtual system development and energy-efficient semiconductor switches.
The facility was presented to industry and government representatives during a site visit on May 20, held as part of the Austrian IPCEI Day. The event, hosted by AT&S in cooperation with fellow IPCEI ME/CT partners – AVL List, Ebner Group, Infineon Technologies Austria, NXP Semiconductors and Silicon Austria Labs – offered a first look at the plant and highlighted the collaborative progress of Austria’s microelectronics sector.
