Saturday, July 08, 2006

Soitec invests S$711m in Singapore

Soitec (Euronext Paris), the world’s leading manufacturer of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers and other engineered substrates announced on Thursday that it is investing 350 million euros (S$711 million) in a new production plant in Singapore, its first plant outside France.

The new plant in Singapore's Pasir Ris Wafer Fab Park is expected to start production in mid-2008. About 500 people will be employed at the plant by 2009.

Mr Teo Ming Kian, chairman of Singapore's Economic Development Board, said: 'We are very honoured that Soitec, a world leader in SOI wafer fabrication, has chosen Singapore for its first manufacturing campus outside of France over many other locations. Soitec’s facility, employing the most advanced technology, reflects the growing sophistication and adds to the vibrancy of Singapore’s semiconductor ecosystem.'

Mr Andre-Jacques Auberton-Herve, president and chief executive of Soitec, said the decision to expand in Asia was to meet 'an anticipated rising demand from chipmakers worldwide, including Asian foundries'.

The Soitec Group is the world’s leading innovator and provider of the engineered substrates that serve as the foundation for today’s most advanced electronic products and nanotechnologies.

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