2 minute read - 4th October 2022
KLA to build new manufacturing site in Newport
KLA Corporation, a US-based manufacturer of equipment used in the electronics manufacturing industry, has announced plans to build a new R&D and manufacturing centre in Newport, Wales. The new development for its SPTS division is expected to include a capital investment of more than £88m* ($100m), creating a 200,000 square foot facility. The new state-of-the-art innovation centre and manufacturing facility will include offices, cleanrooms, storage and support facilities and accommodate up to 750 employees.
Adopting the globally recognised science-based sustainable and energy efficient design standards, the new facility will be designed to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating, reflecting KLA’s commitment to its environmental goals. The new innovation centre will provide over 25,000 square feet of cleanrooms for R&D and more than 35,000 square feet of bespoke manufacturing assembly halls.
An event to mark the commencement of the new development is planned for later this week, with the anticipated completion of the building in early 2025.
KLA, a manufacturer of equipment used in the electronics manufacturing industry, is to invest $100m at a new R&D and manufacturing facility in Newport / Picture: Getty/iStock
Oreste Donzella, executive vice president of the EPC Group at KLA, said: “SPTS has experienced significant growth in its business over the past several years and is a highly successful division of KLA. We are investing in the new site to support SPTS’s growth and to establish additional facilities for the wider KLA European organisation. Expanding in South Wales allows us to tap into the region’s attractive talent pool and benefits from an appealing quality of life with access to many international sporting events, historic parks and outdoor activities. This area is also home to some of UK’s leading universities and research institutes with strong semiconductor competencies and industry ties for collaborative research.”
Rick Wallace, president and chief executive officer of KLA Corporation, said: “We are committed to continuous innovation and providing solutions that help propel the semiconductor industry forward and deliver technologies that make a meaningful impact on our world. This investment and expansion in Wales will help us continue to develop wafer processing solutions for the high growth secular industries and build on the existing expertise in advance packaging and compound semiconductor processing technologies to strengthen our portfolio of solutions for 5G communications, electric vehicles, consumer electronics, medical devices, and much more.”
Welsh government economy minister, Vaughan Gething, added: “We have worked closely with KLA behind the scenes to identify the best possible site for their new manufacturing and R&D site and have invested in the energy infrastructure to ensure that the site can offer the company everything they need. This is a strong endorsement of the semiconductor cluster in South Wales and the Welsh government’s sustained commitment to it over the past decade. We will continue to support and grow Wales’ semiconductor cluster and to ensure we are maximising the regional and global opportunities of this cutting-edge technology.”