LEOBEN, AUSTRIA – AT&S is investing €500 million for a new R&D center for substrate and packaging solutions for the global semiconductor industry here up to 2025.
In addition, another technology upgrade of the production facilities will be implemented. The investment total includes previously communicated investments in a technology upgrade and the new AT&S office building.
An additional 700 employees will be required by 2025, including engineers in various disciplines, specialists and university graduates for business and technical fields, as well as qualified skilled workers.
“Leoben is the central hub of AT&S. Starting here, AT&S has grown to become a global group, and today is one of the key players in the high-end printed circuit board and IC substrate business,” said Hannes Androsch, chairman, AT&S supervisory board. “While we invest heavily in other countries and only recently announced our new location in Kulim, Malaysia, it is exactly these investments in Asia that not only secure our locations and their employees, but also ensure the site in Leoben is expanded and around 700 highly qualified jobs are being created.”
Precursors for IC substrates are already produced in Leoben and further processed into final products at the facilities in Chongqing, China. The production facilities are upgraded, and an additional production building of some 18,000 m2 will be built.
“The technologies used here are unparalleled in Europe and give AT&S a unique selling proposition on the market,” said AT&S CEO Andreas Gerstenmayer. “Research and development at this level of technology will enable us to offer our customers innovative solutions for future product generations even more proactively and to take on a pioneering role in the industry. In addition, this investment is a clear commitment to the location in Leoben and will make a contribution to a competitive microelectronics industry in Europe.”
This AT&S project conforms with the European Chip Act, which was announced by Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, in mid-September. The goal is to jointly create a European state-of-the-art chip ecosystem to safeguard security of supply in Europe and to develop a new market for European breakthrough technologies.
"We need a location that offers Austrians economic security for the next generations,” said Margarete Schramböck, minister of economic affairs. “We achieve this by investing in modern, digital key industries that offer jobs, enhance regions and thus strengthen the location in the long term. AT&S is doing all of this with the planned investment. As a federal government, we have succeeded in supporting this investment financially with the help of the IPCEI Microelectronics and thus investing in one of the most important future industries."
“With this investment, AT&S underlines Styria’s position as one of the leading regions in innovation and research in Europe. The positive development of microelectronics as one of our economic strengths is also inseparably linked with the company. By now, 80% of the value added in Austria in this sector is generated in the south of the country. The further expansion of AT&S in Leoben is therefore an invaluable asset for Styria as a business location,” said Barbara Eibinger-Miedl, minister for economic affairs, Styrian Provincial Government.
