[News] The UK Wafer Fab Receives an Investment of £51 Million

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Recently, according to media reports, Vishay Intertechnology will invest £51 million in Newport Wafer Fab (NWF), the largest semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility in the UK. This investment includes £5 million in funding support from the Welsh Government.

Public information reveals that Vishay, founded in 1962 in Delaware, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of discrete semiconductors and passive components. Its semiconductor portfolio includes MOSFETs, diodes, and optoelectronic devices, while its passive components cover resistors, capacitors, and inductors.

In July 2021, Nexperia completed the acquisition of NWF for £63 million. However, the UK government intervened, requiring Nexperia to divest at least 86% of its stake in NWF.

In November 2023, Vishay agreed to acquire NWF from Nexperia for $177 million in cash. The facility, spanning 28 acres, is an automotive-grade 8-inch wafer fabrication plant. Vishay President and CEO Joel Smejkal stated that the acquisition would help Vishay expand production capacity while ensuring full profitability for the facility.

Vishay has also ventured into the advanced silicon carbide (SiC) sector. On October 31, 2022, the company acquired SiC MOSFET manufacturer MaxPower Semiconductor for $50 million. This acquisition enhanced Vishay’s MOSFET product line with SiC technology.

The investment in NWF will support the construction of new production lines for power devices and the transition to SiC-based power devices. Before its acquisition by Nexperia, NWF operated a small gallium nitride (GaN) device foundry line.

(Photo credit: Vishay)