ZEISS SMT expands capacity for the future of the semiconductor industry
Artificial intelligence is significantly accelerating the development of the semiconductor industry and continuing to drive demand for more powerful microchips. To reliably support customers worldwide in the future, ZEISS Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (SMT) is strategically expanding its capacity. A key element is the expansion in Oberkochen: In total, ZEISS SMT is creating around 25,000 square meters of additional space there for production and production-related areas.
A striking new building now makes the expansion of the site clearly visible. With the move-in to the new office building in July 2026, around four years after the groundbreaking ceremony in May 2022, the site expansion has reached an important milestone. A new company restaurant will also open soon. Additional new buildings will follow successively and be put into operation step by step.
Forward-looking investments in the semiconductor industry
The expansion in Oberkochen is part of ZEISS SMT’s long-term investment strategy – even in today’s dynamic market environment. A major driver is the need for key technologies for the next generation of semiconductor manufacturing. The company is strategically strengthening its capacity in Germany and internationally to reliably support customers in key markets over the long term. “With the site expansion in Oberkochen and at our international locations, we are investing proactively in the future of the semiconductor industry,” says Dr. Frank Rohmund, President and Chief Executive Officer of ZEISS SMT. “As part of this highly complex and investment-intensive ecosystem, we are taking responsibility and laying the groundwork for innovation, reliability, scalability and speed.”
The focus is on key technologies for central process steps in semiconductor manufacturing – and thus on a technology portfolio that is essential for increasingly complex chip generations. This includes high-precision optics for lithography systems such as High-NA EUV lithography – a central component of the latest generation of microchips – as well as solutions for the production, qualification and repair of highly precise photomasks and wafer fab solutions for inspection, metrology and defect analysis. ZEISS SMT also supports developments such as advanced packaging, in which different chips and functions are combined into highly integrated, energy-efficient systems.
Strengthening capacity in key semiconductor markets
ZEISS SMT is also investing in capacity expansion at other German and international locations. In doing so, the company is strengthening its presence close to customers and key markets, increasing the scalability of its solutions and supporting the global performance of semiconductor manufacturing. In Wetzlar, Hesse, ZEISS SMT is currently building a new multifunctional factory that will complement the existing site. The research and development site in Roßdorf, Hesse, was expanded by 300 square meters of cleanroom space in fall 2025. In Jena, work on the high-tech site is continuing to progress. In the future, ZEISS SMT’s Semiconductor Mask Solutions (SMS) business unit, which develops and manufactures solutions for defect-free photomasks of the highest quality, will also move into new space there.
Internationally, ZEISS SMT is continuing to strengthen its presence in key semiconductor markets. With a new training center in Shanghai and additional logistics infrastructure in the United States and Germany, ZEISS SMT has further enhanced its service quality, delivery capability and responsiveness. With the new ZEISS Innovation Center in Korea, which opened in July 2026, ZEISS SMT is moving even closer to customers and partners in one of the world’s most important semiconductor markets.
