TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan semiconductor company GlobalWafers reported on Tuesday (June 18) it received 103 million euros (NT$3.5 billion) for its Italian subsidiary MEMC Electronic Materials to build a 12-inch wafer fab.
Funded by the European Commission, MEMC President Marco Sciamanna said in a press release the new 12-inch wafer plant will support the development of downstream products in four high-tech areas highlighted by the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI), per CNA. These areas include sensors, logic devices, power electronics, and communication components, he added.
GlobalWafers CEO Hsu Hsiu-lan (徐秀蘭) said in an era of economic regionalization, the European Commission and the Italian government have prioritized investments in the semiconductor and high-tech industries to enhance their resilience.
Hsu added MEMC’s new 12-inch wafer plant aligns with the European Commission’s standards for advanced technology research and development. “MEMC employs advanced manufacturing techniques to meet the increasingly complex demands of customers,” the CEO said.
GlobalWafers said MEMC has production bases in Novara and Merano and has been operating in Italy for decades. The wafers produced are used in devices critical to Europe's high-tech economy, covering fields such as automotive and electronics, the company explained.
The expansion of MEMC's facility will create 600 construction-related jobs and 150 long-term positions in Novara, the company said. “Once fully operational, the new 12-inch wafer plant will be capable of recycling up to 50% of the production water used,” it added.