The British government is injecting £9m into a semiconductor R&D facility in Scotland to boost the UK’s production capacity of critical chips.
The development site, to be hosted in Inchinnan by the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), will provide an advanced packaging scale-upline for power electronic semiconductors to support faster chip production.
NMIS said the facility would cut the packaging time and distribution to firms for chips from months to days.
The packaging stage in semiconductor manufacturing protects core components and prepares them for use in various technologies. The UK semiconductor packaging market is valued at £500m, employing 15,000 people, according to NMIS.
Facilities and equipment for packaging have until now been the missing piece of the puzzle, and the new packaging line unlocks the potential to reshore manufacturing to the UK,” said Prof Matt Boyle, director of electrification at NMIS.
“This is just the beginning – our aim is to accelerate semiconductor manufacturing, allowing companies to explore new technologies and implement testing without disrupting day-to-day production.”
The facility will be funded by a cash injection from Innovate UK and is expected to open later this year within the University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Net Zero Innovation Centre.
“As the operator of NMIS, we are committed to driving innovation and supporting industry in the transition to more sustainable and resilient manufacturing,” said Prof Sir Jim McDonald, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Strathclyde.
“By leveraging our world-class research, technical expertise and facilities, this initiative will enhance the UK’s technological capabilities, create high-value opportunities for businesses, and reinforce Scotland’s position as a global leader in advanced manufacturing.”
This month, the UK’s Secretary of State for Technology Peter Kyle told UKTN that government support for domestic chip production is critical to ensure the nation’s “resiliance and security”.
Read more: Britain’s biggest semiconductor companies
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