GlobalWafers Secures €100 Million IPCEI Subsidy for Italian Wafer Plant

The semiconductor industry in Europe is set to receive a significant boost with the announcement of funding for a new wafer production facility in Italy. The funding is a combination of money from the IPCEI-ME/CT program, the Italian Ministry of Enterprises, and the Made in Italy fund. This development marks a crucial step towards reducing Europe's dependence on imported wafers and strengthening the region's semiconductor supply chain.

MEMC, a subsidiary of Taiwan's GlobalWafers Co. Ltd., is spearheading the initiative. GlobalWafers is the world's third-largest manufacturer of semiconductor wafers, making it a key player in the industry. The new wafer facility, to be located in Novara in northwest Italy, will play a vital role in supporting Europe's expanding supply chain. Novara is already known for producing 200mm-diameter wafers, and the addition of the advanced 300mm wafer production facility will further enhance the region's capabilities.

GlobalWafers had previously announced its plan to build the new facility in February 2022, with operations expected to commence by mid-2023. The company emphasized the importance of accessing European funds like IPCEI-ME/CT and securing financial participation from European chip manufacturing partners to realize this plan. The facility is expected to produce a range of wafers, including silicon on insulator wafers, float-zone wafers, silicon carbide wafers, and gallium nitride on silicon wafers.

While specific details such as the budget, timetable for construction, and production schedule were not disclosed in the recent announcement, the potential impact of the new facility on the European semiconductor industry is significant. Companies like STMicroelectronics and Globalfoundries, with wafer fabs in Germany and Italy, are seen as potential partners for GlobalWafers. Additionally, TSMC's European joint venture, ESMC, could emerge as a key consumer of the 300mm-diameter wafers produced at the facility.

Marco Sciamanna, president of MEMC Electronic Materials SpA, expressed optimism about the project, stating, "Our new MEMC 300mm production facility will support the creation of downstream products in all four of the high-tech workstreams targeted by the IPCEI-ME/CT program." The facility is expected to cater to a wide range of applications, including sensor, logic, power, and communication applications, further solidifying Europe's position in the global semiconductor market.