STMicroelectronics will build an integrated plant for the production of silicon carbide (SiC) substrates in Italy. The company announces this by expecting production to start in 2023 and balance the procurement of SiC substrates between materials produced internally and purchased from external suppliers.
The SiC substrate manufacturing facility, built at the ST Catania site alongside the existing SiC device manufacturing facility, will be the first of its kind in Europe for volume production of 150mm SiC epitaxial substrates, and will integrate all the steps of the production flow. ST is committed to developing 200mm substrates in the near future. The investment of 730 million euros over a five-year period will have the financial support of the Italian State under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and, once completed, will create about 700 new direct jobs.
“ST is transforming its global manufacturing operations, with additional production capacity at 300mm and a strong focus on broadband blocking semiconductors, supporting its ambition to reach $ 20 billion in revenues. We are expanding our operations in Catania, the center of our expertise in power semiconductors and where we have already integrated research, development and production activities for SiC in close collaboration with Italian research institutes, universities and suppliers, “said Jean -Marc Chery, President & Chief Executive Officer of STMicroelectronics. “This new facility will be critical to our vertical integration into SiC, expanding our supply of SiC substrates at a stage where we will further increase volumes to support our automotive and industrial customers’ transition to electrification and greater efficiency “.
The European green light for the strengthening of the Catania STM is great news. As Ministry of Economic Development we have followed with attention and utmost discretion the process that goes in the desired direction of Italian and European independence in the microelectronics sector, an objective that Mise has worked on with other initiatives, from IPCEI microelectronics 2, to development and innovation agreements for the sector. Today we see the first fruits of this work and I am glad that it happens before I leave this exciting ministry. It is a first fundamental step towards an even bigger and more important project that has the aim of giving technological sovereignty to Italy ”. Thus the minister of economic development Giancarlo Giorgetti.