Materials engineering solutions provider Applied Materials is expanding its regional hub in Singapore, which is home to its largest factory outside of the United States.
The American firm plans to invest “hundreds of millions of US dollars” intended to strengthen the company’s ability to meet growing customer demand in the years ahead.
In addition, the company will invest to bolster its R&D capabilities in Singapore with a focus on accelerating commercialisation of new technologies and services that improve chip power, performance, area, cost and time-to-market (PPACt).
One example is the research collaboration between Applied and the Institute of Microelectronics (IME), a research institute of Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), focused on hybrid bonding and other emerging, 3D chip integration technologies.
Applied Materials established its presence in Singapore in 1991 with a small sales and service site that has grown to become a major manufacturing and regional operations hub with a workforce of more than 2,500.
Also, Applied Materials has launched “Singapore 2030,” a multi-faceted plan to expand its operations in Singapore over the next eight years.
The plan is targeted at strengthening the company’s global manufacturing and R&D capabilities, broadening technology ecosystem partnerships in Singapore and promoting local workforce development.
“For the past 30 years, Singapore has been a strategic hub for Applied Materials, and we are excited to build on our success with new investments that will strengthen our ability to support the semiconductor industry on its path to becoming a US$1-trillion market by the end of the decade,” said Gary Dickerson, President and CEO of Applied Materials.
With the semiconductor industry entering a new wave of growth fueled by digital transformation of the economy, Applied Materials intends to make multi-billion-dollar investments in its innovation infrastructure in the United States and to expand its global manufacturing capacity.
As part of Singapore 2030, Applied will help enable a future-ready workforce for Singapore’s semiconductor equipment industry through enhanced training and advanced education programs.
This includes an initiative with the Singapore Institute of Technology where Applied employees gain access to tailored learning modules in areas including AI and machine learning, smart manufacturing, robotics and automation, data science, and more.
Brian Tan, regional president of Applied Materials South East Asia, said that over the next several years, they plan to invest in new initiatives with their academic and community partners.
