A groundbreaking company is bring 125 highly skilled jobs to the region with the launch of £68m factory near Durham.
PragmatIC Semiconductor makes flexible electrical circuits that are thinner than a human hair and can be built into a range of products. Once its factory is up and running by next year it will create billions of them for customers across the world.
Work is now underway to prepare the factory - known as PragmatIC Park - at Meadowfield Industrial Estate, near Durham. PragmatIC, which already runs a production line at nearby NETPark, has secured £68m ($90m) of funding from investors to launch the project which it says will make the North East site the centre of a worldwide network.
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The firm's tiny electric circuits - known as semiconductors - can be invisibly embedded in objects and then relay information back to devices such as smartphones. Recently the company secured investment from Swiss packaging giant Amcor to explore ways in the products can be used in its sustainable packaging.
Scott White, CEO of PragmatIC Semiconductor, said: “We are very excited to announce PragmatIC Park as our new site. As well as providing an ideal home for our second FlexLogIC fab, we will also be inviting selected ecosystem partners to work with us at the Park to create a centre of excellence for flexible semiconductor design and integration.”
Business Minister Lee Rowley said: “It has never been more important to see investment in semiconductor innovation and production. As we roll out digital technologies that will boost productivity and sustainability across the economy, demand for semiconductors is set to continue to grow.
“PragmatIC Park will help to address this growing need, while bringing skilled career opportunities to Durham, helping to level up the region and further build its high-value manufacturing base.”
