KULIM: Infineon Technologies (Kulim) Sdn Bhd, which specialises in power and logic chips for automotive and industrial power applications, today announced that it will invest RM4 billion in the Kulim Hi-Tech Park here over the next 10 years.
Its vice-president Dr Thomas Reisinger said the company’s new Kulim 2 wafer fabrication facility, which is under construction, is designed to be a state-of-the art manufacturing competence centre for the production of megatrend technology products for the energy efficiency and automotive industries.
Kulim 2, which supports the technological complexity for 200mm wafers, can also produce 300mm wafers if there is demand for them, he said.
Announcing the investment at the launch of Kulim 2 here, Reisinger, who is also Infineon Kulim managing director, said the company has invested RM350 million in the facility on a 30,000 sq m site, work on which commenced in August last year and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The Kulim 2 plant was launched by Ministry of International Trade and Industry secretary-general Datuk Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, Reisinger and Infineon AG board member Dr Reinhard Ploss.
Once operational, Kulim 2 will employ 1,000 more staff, 40% of whom will be highly skilled, and production capacity is expected to double. Kulim 1, with a capacity of 120,000 wafers per month, employs 1,500 people.
“The decision to expand our operations in Kulim is a logical choice as it is a designated growth location for us, and is our first front-end wafer fabrication facility in Asia,” he added.
Reisinger said the company runs 29 different base technologies and manufactures about 500 products simultaneouly.
“We will retain our position at the forefront of the semiconductor industry by increasing the skills and capabilities of our employees and strengthening our innovative power.
“With the completion of Kulim 2, Infineon Technologies Kulim expects growth of more than 20% per annum in the markets we serve,” said Reisinger.
He said the company has also complied with global standards while keeping to a zero defect mindset from day one of operations in 2006.
Infineon is the fourth largest foreign investment company in Malaysia.
Competency centre: Reisinger (left) showing the model of the new plant to Sta Maria, Ploss, Phang, Halm and Amiruddin. The plant will focus on technologies in the energy-efficiency and automotive industries.
