[SINGAPORE] United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) on Tuesday (Apr 1) launched its newest wafer fabrication facility to produce semiconductor wafers.
This latest facility – about 60 per cent larger than UMC’s existing fab in the Pasir Ris Wafer Fab Park – is expected to create some 700 new jobs locally over the next few years.
Among the 700 jobs to be created are roles such as process and equipment, as well as research and development (R&D) engineers. Currently, UMC employs more than 1,800 employees in Singapore, most of whom are locals.
Details of the second phase expansion have not yet been announced.
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
UMC said that the development will be “one of the most advanced semiconductor foundries” in Singapore.
“This expansion is not just about UMC. It is about collective growth,” said UMC president SC Chien at the launch event, which was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong.
Also present were Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Permanent Secretary for Trade and Industry Beh Swan Gin, Economic Development Board managing director Jermaine Loy and JTC assistant chief executive officer Christine Wong.
“This new state-of-the-art facility in Singapore signals a new phase of growth for UMC. It enhances our ability to meet future chip demand, driven by continuous innovations in connectivity, automotive and AI (artificial intelligence),” Chien added.
The new facility spans 111,800 square metres (sq m), or the size of about 16 football fields. The site will also feature 49,000 sq m of cleanroom space across the two phases for semiconductor manufacturing and assembly.
The expansion also includes a new office building as well as nearly 18,000 sq m of solar panels to be installed on the rooftop.
Chien added that UMC is targeting net-zero carbon emissions, and to be 100 per cent powered by renewable energy by 2050. He said that the company’s Singapore team was leading the effort, noting that it managed to cut direct emissions by 76 per cent between 2018 and 2023.
With the jump in production capacity, the company will be able to meet the growing demand for chips from segments such as smartphones, cars and data centres, he said.
The new wafer fabrication facility is equipped for 22 and 28 nanometre (nm) processes.
Chien said that the 22 nm is the most advanced node used today for display driver chips, which enhances visual quality and battery life in smartphones.
In a separate speech, DPM Gan said that UMC’s new facility will open up new opportunities for the company, as well as strengthen the semiconductor industry in Singapore.
“Through these win-win partnerships, we want to support companies such as UMC to innovate, build new capabilities and uplift our industry as a whole.”
Singapore is currently home to UMC’s largest R&D team outside Taiwan.
DPM Gan noted that the new fabrication facility will enable UMC to further enhance its R&D presence here.
Through these new R&D activities, UMC will open up new opportunities for the larger semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore, including startups, suppliers and equipment manufacturers, he said.
He added that the aim is for UMC to deepen its partnerships with institutes of higher learning such as the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University.
“These will benefit UMC in building a stronger pipeline of talent to support its operations here and enable our students to gain industry-relevant experience early,” he said.
Earlier in January, another semiconductor giant Micron Technology broke ground for an advanced packaging facility for its high-bandwidth memory semiconductor chip. Its operations are slated to start in 2026.
