AT&S secures EUR 45m loan for connecting materials R&D
Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik has agreed a loan from KfW IPEX-Bank to support the research and development of connecting materials for microchip production at its new plant in Leoben.
AT&S is a best known as a manufacturer of IC substrates and printed circuit boards. Its products are used in high-performance computers, servers, AI and 5G base stations, among other areas. The firm has production sites in Austria, India (Nanjangud), China (Shanghai, Chongqing) and Korea (Ansan near Seoul). Its new Leoben lab will focus on connected series production for IC substrate technologies and will start operations in 2024/25.
KfW IPEX-Bank specialises in tech-related financing. With this loan it says it is contributing to the potential of the European chip space and, more specifically, the EU’s target of increasing its global market share in semiconductor production to 20% by 2030.
“We are proud we can contribute to Europe’s digital sovereignty through our financing,” said Dr Velibor Marjanovic, Member of the Management Board of KfW IPEX-Bank. “We are especially delighted that, with AT&S, we are supporting the only European manufacturer of high-end printed circuit boards and integrated circuit substrates, thereby helping to advance digitalisation and innovation in Europe.”
Andreas Gerstenmayer, CEO of AT&S, added: "AT&S has been expanding for years. We have significantly expanded our production capacities in Chongqing, China, we have set up a plant for cutting-edge IC substrate technologies in Kulim, Malaysia, and are currently building such a plant with an R&D centre at our site in Leoben - a project that is unique in Europe. It is important to have strong partners who believe in our vision and who enable us to secure the current and future development of our company and invest in locations and new technologies."
