PLANS for Europe's first advanced semiconductor packaging facility are underway in a move that is expected to create around 300 skilled jobs.
The “world-class” facility, which will be in Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, follows the announcement of a £160 million investment from the UK Government in Glasgow City Region Innovation Zone (GCRIZ) projects.
The centre will provide “lab-to-scale” packaging of semiconductor components used for artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and photonics.
Packaging, which is seen as a key stage in semiconductor manufacturing, protects core components and prepares them for use in a range of technologies.
In a first for Europe, the new facility will enable faster development of semiconductor devices, which experts say will help reduce packaging times from months to days, while keeping production within Scotland.
The centre is expected to create as many as 300 skilled jobs and contribute an estimated £800m in additional revenue to Scotland’s economy.
Led by the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), the new centre will form part of the University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Net Zero Innovation Centre (ANZIC).
Professor Matt Boyle, director of electrification at NMIS, said the hope is the new facility will play a key role in the global market of microchip packaging.
He said: “We are building a world-class capability here in Glasgow, positioning the region at the forefront of advanced semiconductor development.
“Our ambition is to serve the global market for semiconductor packaging. As part of this, we also intend to develop skills programmes that will fuel the sector’s expansion both locally and nationally.
“This latest funding boost underlines NMIS’s commitment to becoming a world-leading centre for advanced manufacturing in these critical technologies.”
He added. “Scotland has long been at the forefront of semiconductor innovation. Now, with fresh momentum and investment, we have the opportunity to put Scotland back on the global map for advanced packaging, underpinned by targeted skills development.”
A potential £29m investment from GCRIZ will fund new facilities to deliver “complex, high-value solutions that are in short supply”.
Currently, many wafer manufacturers are forced to offshore semiconductor packaging, resulting in long lead times and limited supply chain resilience.
Jim McDonald, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Strathclyde and chairman of the NMIS board, said: “The development of the National Advanced Semiconductor Packaging and Integration Centre reflects Strathclyde’s scientific and technological strengths and our longstanding commitment to industrial innovation and research that delivers real-world impact.
“This is a strategically important capability for the UK, enhancing our competitiveness, strengthening supply chains, and opening up new opportunities in high-growth sectors such as AI, quantum and photonics.”
