Siltronic AG officially inaugurated the extension to its crystal pulling hall at the Freiberg site in Germany. The new production area provides space for the latest generation of crystal-pulling systems. In fact, these systems are critical to producing silicon monocrystals for wafer production under cleanroom conditions. In total, the company said it invested “several hundred million euros” in the construction, generating around 60 jobs.

“This investment is a clear commitment to our Saxon location. In addition, modernization helps us to maintain our position as one of the world’s technology leaders. Also, it strengthens our position as the only major Western wafer manufacturer,” said Dr. Michael Heckmeier, CEO of Siltronic AG.

Meets Future Demands

The Freiberg site in Saxony is one of four production sites of the group, which manufactures in Germany, Singapore, and the United States.

With a usable area of 20,000 square meters, the extension building is as large as three soccer fields. Here, the site produces man-size silicon monocrystals in a process that takes five to seven days. The so-called ingots have a diameter of around 300 millimeters and weigh several hundred kilograms. Moreover, in a complex process under cleanroom conditions, they can be processed into wafers through extremely thin slices of silicon.

Siltronic’s customers use the wafers to manufacture microchips, which can be found in everyday items such as tablets, smartphones, and electric cars, as well as wind turbines and aircrafts. The semiconductor industry is receiving tailwind from the megatrends of artificial intelligence, digitization, and electromobility. Siltronic has invested more than one billion euros at the site since acquiring Freiberger Elektronikwerkstoffe GmbH in 1995. “With our investments, we believe we are well prepared for the future, to be at the forefront in a challenging market environment,” Heckmeier explained. Currently, around 1,000 people are employed at the site in Freiberg, Saxony.