STATS ChipPAC expands packaging facilities in Singapore
STATS ChipPAC, a provider of advanced semiconductor packaging and test services, has celebrated the grand opening of its new building in Singapore.
The ceremony was attended by more than 150 distinguished guests, including Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security & Minister for Home Affairs, Teo Chee Hean, and other government and business representatives.
STATS ChipPAC has invested approximately US $1.7 billion (S $2.1 billion) in Singapore to date to expand its technology offerings and manufacturing capacity. Singapore has become the company's global hub for advanced wafer level technology research and development (R&D) and wafer level packaging centre of excellence for advanced mobile devices.
Based on the increasing market demand for these devices, STATS ChipPAC expects to accelerate its investments in Singapore by a further US $500 million (S $620 million) over the next three years.
"Our mobile communications business worldwide has experienced strong, double-digit growth over the past three years and contributed US $1.0 billion (S $1.2 billion) to STATS ChipPAC's revenue in 2012. Mobile technology convergence is pushing the boundaries for smaller form factor, higher performance, increased functionality and lower cost semiconductors. In 2012, more than 60 percent of the 2.5 billion chips we manufactured in Singapore went into mobile handsets, smartphones and tablets," says Tan Lay Koon, President and Chief Executive Officer, STATS ChipPAC.
STATS ChipPAC says its 808,000 square feet is the largest Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) operation in Singapore. STATS ChipPAC Singapore (SCS) has led the semiconductor industry in a number of breakthrough manufacturing and technology achievements over the last three years with a fan-out wafer level package known as embedded Wafer Level Ball Grid Array (eWLB).
The recently expanded operation will support STATS ChipPAC's rapidly growing wafer level business for advanced mobile devices and will enable the Company to focus on the further development of its Post Wafer fab Process (PWfP) business.
Tan continues, "We were among the first companies in the world to ramp eWLB to high volume production and establish it as a proven fan-out wafer level package that provides significant performance, size and cost benefits compared to other packaging technology."
"STATS ChipPAC has also taken a leadership role in the semiconductor industry by becoming the first company to offer a complete set of PWfP solutions. Our specialised PWfP capabilities in Singapore will play a critical role in the development of advanced wafer level technology for next generation mobile devices," adds Tan.
PWfP is an emerging business area between the front-end wafer foundries which create silicon wafers and the OSAT providers that handle back-end packaging and test. PWfP includes advanced wafer level processes such as wafer thinning, microbumping and redistribution that are increasingly important factors in delivering innovative semiconductor packaging solutions.
With a strong focus on PWfP, STATS ChipPAC has established a leadership position in the industry with a comprehensive platform of wafer level technology solutions that include Fan-in Wafer Level Packaging (FIWLP), Fan-out Wafer Level Packaging (FOWLP), Integrated Passive Devices (IPD) and Through Silicon Via (TSV).
"Today represents an exciting step forward in the accelerated growth of our Singapore operation. The successful workforce skills expansion, productivity and research programs we have established in partnership with our local labour movement and government agencies will ensure our Company is well positioned to meet the complex and demanding requirements of leading edge mobile technology," comments Wan Choong Hoe, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, STATS ChipPAC.
With the development of PWfP and the rapid growth expected in wafer level technology, STATS ChipPAC plans to expand its Singapore workforce, including its Professional, Managerial, Executive and Technical (PMET) positions, by 12 percent in 2013 over its current workforce of approximately 2,500 employees in Singapore.
Singapore residents represent 54 percent of the STATS ChipPAC Singapore workforce and 84 percent of its PMET positions. STATS ChipPAC has approximately 10,000 employees in eight countries worldwide.
