Renowned Singapore-based semiconductor fabrication firm, Systems on Silicon Manufacturing Co. Pte. Ltd., (SSMC) has reportedly announced that it is opening a new semiconductor facility in Singapore to boost its production capabilities.
Constructed with an investment of about S$300 million, the cleanroom facility called the Annex 10 would be representing approximately a 34% increase in space for the company’s automotive as well as specialty semiconductor chip manufacturing.
According to a report by The Straits Times, the new plant comes equipped with completely automated robotics and material handling systems. Moreover, the plant also incorporates big data analytics as well as Internet of Things (IoT) technology to ensure better efficiency. The facility highlights the company’s strategy that aims to move further in the domain of manufacturing chip sets for infotainment systems in cars, in-vehicle networks, authentication sensors and vehicle-to-vehicle as well as vehicle-to-infrastructure communications.
Reports claim, the new facility, situated right next to the company’s present site at the Paris Ris Industrial Drive 1, would be boosting SSMC’s automotive wafer production rate by about 40% which could then possibly go up to approximately 60% by the year 2023. The facility would also be acting as a learning lab that would be used for the Industry 4.0 solutions. Additionally, the plant also would be creating around 100 different jobs, once completed.
The CEO of SSMC, Jagadish CV stated that the firm aims to position itself as a niche chip manufacturer. Jagadish further added that the company is confident that the growing demand for chipsets in vehicles would be the primary growth driver for the company.
The inauguration of the new SSMC plant was reportedly attended by Singapore’s Trade and Industry Minister, Mr. Chan Chun Sing. He stated that the outlook for the industry of semiconductors, given the present downturn, is very positive when considering the long-term perspective.
According to reports, though the qualification process for making chips for the automotive sector is a time-consuming affair, the company believes that the new investment would continue to help SSMC reap benefits over the next 10-15 years.