Soitec (Euronext Paris), the world's leading supplier of silicon-on-insulator (SOI), recently launched a new wafer fab in Singapore. Known as Pasir Ris 1, the new Singapore plant is the company’s first manufacturing facility in Asia. With this facility, Soitec aims to expand its worldwide production capacity while building relationships with customers worldwide.

Located at the new 2.7-hectare Pasir Ris Wafer Fab Park, the facility will boast state-of-the-art, fully automated facilities, and a staff of 500 when fully operational. With the S$700 million investment in Singapore, Soitec expects to manufacture one million 300-mm SOI wafers ayear, which are used to produce high-performance, cutting-edge microprocessors for advanced electronic devices. The factory will also support the region’s use of SOI wafers in other high-volume consumer products.

“This new plant benefits from the strong support of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), access to a world-class business environment and a talented workforce,” says Emmanuel Arène, Executive Vice President, Soitec Group Industrial Operations and CEO, Soitec Singapore Pte. Ltd.

Adds Andre-Jacques Auberton-Herve, President and CEO, Soitec Group, “With its strategic location, this fab reinforces our position at the leading edge of one of the world’s most exciting markets. We believe our technology leadership, industrial maturity and new capacity in Singapore provide a very strong foundation for our longer term progress.”