GlobalFoundries (GF) has officially opened its US$4 billion (S$5 billion) expansion fabrication plant in Singapore. Accordingly, the 23,000sqm fab will create 1,000 high-value jobs in Singapore. Particularly, 95 percent of these jobs will include equipment technicians, process technicians and engineers.

Mr. Lawrence Wong, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, alongside Mr. Ahmed Yahia Al Idrissi, Chairman of the GF Board of Directors led the gracing of event. Meanwhile, additional GF Board members and GF executives including President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Thomas Caulfield, Chief Manufacturing Officer Kay Chai (KC) Ang, and Senior Vice President and General Manager of GlobalFoundries Singapore Tan Yew Kong, among others, also attended the event.

Singapore’s Manufacturing 2030 Vision

The new facility will boost GF’s global manufacturing footprint. In addition, it will reinforce the company’s ability to deliver product security and flexibility to customers across its manufacturing sites on three continents. As Singapore’s most advanced semiconductor facility to date, the expansion fab will produce an additional 450,000 wafers (300mm) annually. Hence, raising GF Singapore’s overall capacity to approximately 1.5 million wafers (300mm) each year.

“This site is instrumental in ensuring that we have the capacity our customers need as they seek to strengthen their supply chains,” said Dr. Thomas Caulfield, president and CEO of GlobalFoundries. In addition, Caulfield said, “This new facility is the result of our close partnership with our customers and the Singapore government and a testament to the hard work and effort put in by our employees.”

Singapore’s semiconductor output currently makes up 11 percent of the global semiconductor market. Moreover, this will likely grow further as the country advances towards its Manufacturing 2030 vision. Accordingly, Singapore aims to become a global hub for advanced manufacturing. For that reason, GF stands ready to support the growth in demand for essential semiconductor chips.

“GlobalFoundries’ fab expansion in Singapore will extend its leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, amid expectations of robust long-term growth for the sector. The new facility will invigorate Singapore’s sophisticated semiconductor ecosystem that serves different parts of the value chain,” said Ms. Jacqueline Poh, Managing Director of Singapore’s EDB.

Prioritizes Sustainability

The new facility spans a cleanroom space of over 23,000 sqm. Furthermore, GF moved the first tool into the facility in June 2022, just within a year of the groundbreaking ceremony.

The building’s design prioritizes sustainability. Thus, it was able to earn the Administration and Manufacturing Buildings Green Mark Gold status from Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority.

Moreover, it comes fitted with the latest technologies and solutions to manage resources and waste.