Nexperia, a division of Chinese electronics maker WingTech, plans to invest $200 million to develop next generation wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors like silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) as well as expand wafer fab capacity at its Hamburg, Germany, site.
The move is designed to meet demand for WBG semiconductors that is accelerating due to the rise in electric vehicle (EV) demand, development of renewable energy programs and AI data centers. Additionally, these technologies have the potential to help achieve decarbonization goals happening globally.
The investment will look to modernize 200 mm production lines for SiC MOSFETs and GaN HEMTs. These lines will be established at the Hamburg factory over the next two years. The investment will also:
- Automate existing infrastructure
- Expand silicon production capacity
- Expand clean room areas
- Build new R&D laboratories
“This investment strengthens our position as a leading supplier of energy-efficient semiconductors and enables us to utilize available electrical energy more responsibly,” said Achim Kempe, COO and managing director at Nexperia Germany. “In the future, our Hamburg fab will cover the complete range of WBG semiconductors while still being the largest factory for small signal diodes and transistors.”
Nexperia is one of numerous companies rapidly expanding WBG semiconductors due to anticipated demand. Almost every vendor has announced plans to expand production capacity sometimes to the tune of billions of dollars in investment. This includes Onsemi, Renesas, Infineon, Wolfspeed and more.
