AST completes Singapore's first high-end FC-BGA substrate facility to meet growing AI chip demand

This press release was issued by Advanced Substrate Technologies (AST).

• First Flip Chip Ball Grid Array (FC-BGA) substrate production facility in Singapore
• Addresses one of the most critical supply chain capacity constraints of the semiconductor industry
• Diversifies Singapore’s semiconductor ecosystem beyond current wafer fab, IC design and assembly operations.

Advanced Substrate Technologies (AST) today announced the official opening of its new manufacturing facility in Singapore, the first in the country capable of producing high-end Flip Chip Ball Grid Array (FC-BGA) substrates, and the TOPPAN Group’s first such facility outside Japan. The milestone comes as demand for advanced substrate capacity, a persistent bottleneck for AI, networking, and next-generation computing chips, continues to outpace global supply. AST is a joint venture between TOPPAN Holdings Inc. and Broadcom Inc.

A delegation of AST executives, including key partners from the TOPPAN Group and Broadcom welcomed Mr Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade), alongside other partners and guests to the opening ceremony.

The approximately 95,000-square-metre facility is designed to meet the growing demand for generative AI and data centres in the region featuring sustainability elements such as solar panels and advanced water recycling technologies. The Singapore production base also complements TOPPAN’s main production hub in Niigata, Japan, and will manufacture large-body, high-layer-count substrates for advanced semiconductor products, including AI compute and networking devices.

Since breaking ground in March 2024, AST has already hired more than 200 high-tech engineers and skilled technicians, in addition to operational personnel in Singapore. The facility also houses R&D capabilities to meet future performance demands, alongside close collaborations with technology institutions in Singapore.

The project is supported by Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB) and JTC Corporation, which have played a key role in enabling the facility's establishment.

As TOPPAN's largest customer for FC-BGA substrates, Broadcom has closely supported the facility's development, reflecting the strategic importance of additional large-body, high-layer-count substrate capacity to its next-generation AI compute and networking product roadmap.

Located in the Jurong Lake District, AST’s facility is targeting the start of high-value manufacturing by late-2026, with ongoing recruitment across engineering and technical roles. The company will work closely with TOPPAN and Broadcom to scale the output as demand for advanced substrates grows across AI, networking, and next-generation computing applications.