On 14 August 2019, American semiconductor giant Micron Technology held a grand opening ceremony to mark the completion of its expanded 3D NAND flash memory fabrication facility in Singapore, which will enable future manufacturing transitions of Micron’s industry-leading 3D NAND wafer capacity. The expanded facility provides flexibility in cleanroom space to facilitate technology transitions to advanced nodes of 3D NAND technology. Micron’s 3D NAND technology and storage solutions are pivotal in supporting the company’s long-term growth, and they address customer needs in areas such as 5G, artificial intelligence and autonomous transportation.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Mr Heng Swee Keat affirmed that the semiconductor industry will stay key to the Singapore factory landscape despite official forecasters’ expectations of a full-year manufacturing decline. Mr Heng emphasised that “the global demand for semiconductors in the longer term remains strong,” citing consumer electronics growth and development of new technologies, which are expected to drive the industry. Mr Heng also stressed that Singapore is “well positioned to meet the rise in long-term global demand” when chipmakers recover from this year’s weakness. Mr Heng called for collaboration in the industry ecosystem, “to remain relevant as a semiconductor hub” amid stiff global competition, as manufacturers such as Micron could work with small and medium-sized suppliers, as well as researchers.
Dr Beh Swan Gin, Chairman of the Economic Development Board, said that Micron’s latest investment “demonstrates confidence in Singapore and in the long-term prospects of the semiconductor industry, a critical enabler for a data driven, connected and intelligent world”.
