Micron Technology builds a wafer factory in Singapore with an investment of over 30 billion yuan in 10 years | Lianhe Zaobao

American memory chip giant Micron Technology is building its first local dual-layer wafer manufacturing plant in Singapore with a total investment of over SGD 30 billion, which will create 1,600 jobs and is expected to start production in the second half of 2028. This new investment is also expected to solidify Singapore's leadership position in advanced NAND flash memory manufacturing. NAND flash memory is a type of non-volatile storage chip that retains data even after power is lost, widely used in solid-state drives, USB drives, and mobile phone storage. The groundbreaking ceremony for the aforementioned wafer manufacturing plant was held on Tuesday (January 27), with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong as the guest of honor. In his speech, he pointed out that in the context of shortened innovation cycles and the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technologies, companies will not withdraw from the global value chain but will be more cautious. They are looking for "trusted locations," which are those that are open, predictable in rules, and capable of supporting long-term complex operations. He said, "Singapore is committed to becoming a 'trusted hub' in the global value chain, allowing leading global companies to confidently establish critical operations here even in the face of continuously changing external environments." Further Reading Micron Technology plans to acquire a Taiwanese wafer factory from Powerchip for SGD 2.3 billion Micron Technology announces a USD 200 billion domestic R&D and production plan in the U.S. "Trust stems from the consistency of policies, a robust and efficient governance system, an open stance towards the outside world, and the ability to continuously support high-demand, technology-intensive operations over decades. This is particularly crucial for advanced manufacturing industries such as semiconductors and innovation-driven sectors." The total investment for the new project over the next 10 years is approximately USD 24 billion (about SGD 31 billion), and once completed, it will provide around 700,000 square feet of cleanroom space, with production expected to start in the second half of 2028 to meet the growing global market demand for NAND flash technology driven by the rapid development of AI and data-intensive applications The new wafer manufacturing plant is expected to create approximately 1,600 jobs. Along with Micron's previously announced advanced packaging plant for high bandwidth memory, Micron's expansion in Singapore over the past two years will bring a total of about 3,000 jobs. The company pointed out that these positions will focus on wafer fabrication engineering and operations, integrating AI, advanced robotics technology, and smart manufacturing technology to enhance efficiency and innovation capabilities. In addition to this investment, last January, Micron Technology announced an investment of $7 billion to build an advanced packaging plant for high bandwidth memory, which is expected to be completed and operational this year, contributing to the company's overall capacity starting in 2027