KUALA LUMPUR: X-Fab, the global leader in analogue/mixed-signal and speciality semiconductor manufacturing, today unveiled a RM3-billion expansion of its semiconductor manufacturing facility in Sarawak.
The state-of-the-art expansion increases X-Fab Sarawak’s wafer production capacity from 30,000 units to 40,000 units per month, said Malaysia Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and X-Fab in a joint statement.
MIDA and X-Fab said this significant investment strengthens Malaysia’s position as a crucial hub in the global semiconductor supply chain.
The additional facility specialises in producing advanced chips for automotive, medical, and industrial applications, they said.
"X-Fab’s investment is an important step in Malaysia’s journey to strengthen our position in the global semiconductor industry.
"It reflects foreign investors’ continued confidence in our long-term industrial reform direction, and supports the kind of partnerships we want to build,” said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
He said this expansion supports Malaysia’s aspiration to become a leading hub for advanced manufacturing, in line with the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, the 13th Malaysia Plan and the National Semiconductor Strategy towards achieving high-value, high-income nation status.
MIDA’s chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid said this investment is a catalyst for socio-economic upliftment in Sarawak, creating a ripple effect that benefits local communities.
"We are not just attracting high-value jobs; we are cultivating a new generation of skilled talent and empowering local businesses in the supply chain.
"This is the very essence of our national strategy -- ensuring every investment serves as a launchpad for
inclusive growth and shared prosperity for all Malaysians,” he said.
Meanwhile, X-Fab group CEO Rudi De Winter said the company makes chips that save lives, such as those used in ultrasound applications, and that power the future, like its power semiconductor solutions for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
"This expansion not only increases X-Fab Sarawak’s overall monthly capacity by 10,000 wafers but also more than doubles the site’s capacity for our popular ‘180nm (nanometre) BCD-on-SOI’ technology, which is essential for these types of applications,” said De Winter.
The new manufacturing line is now operational and would serve global customers across automotive, industrial, and medical sectors, which also bolsters Malaysia’s value proposition in these manufacturing sectors, said MIDA and X-Fab. - Bernama
