Infineon Announces Commissioning of Kulim 3 Plant in Malaysia

TapTechNews August 8th news, Infineon today announced that the first phase of its Kulim 3 plant in Malaysia has been officially commissioned. This stage focuses on the production of silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors and will also focus on gallium nitride (GaN) peripheral wafers.

Infineon announced the first phase construction plan of Kulim 3 in 2022, with an investment of 2 billion US dollars (TapTechNews note: currently about 14.343 billion yuan), which can create 900 high-value jobs.

Infineon then announced the Kulim 3 Phase II plan worth 5 billion US dollars (currently about 35.857 billion yuan) in August 2023, aiming tobuild Kulim 3 into the world's largest and most efficient 8-inch silicon carbide power semiconductor wafer factory by 2028.

Infineon said it has received about 5 billion euros in new design orders andaround 1 billion euros in advance payments from existing and new customers for the continuous expansion of Kulim 3. Some of these design orders come from 6 automotive OEMs.

Jochen Hanebeck, CEO of Infineon Technologies, said:

New-generation power semiconductors such as innovative technologies like silicon carbide are an absolute prerequisite for decarbonization and climate protection. Our technology improves the energy efficiency of ubiquitous applications such as electric vehicles, solar and wind energy systems, and AI data centers.

So we are investing in the largest and most efficient high-tech silicon carbide production facility in Malaysia and backed by strong customer commitments.

Because the demand for semiconductors will continue to rise, the investment in Kulim is extremely attractive to our customers, who are supporting this investment through advance payments. This also enhances the resilience of the supply chain of key components required for the green transition.