2 minute read - 28th March 2025
Vishay plans to invest £250m in Welsh semiconductor plant
Wales is set to benefit from a £250m investment that will be vital to the production of electric vehicles. Vishay Intertechnology intends to make the investment at its Newport plant, the UK’s largest semiconductor facility, as part of plans to develop large-scale compound semiconductor manufacturing in the country.
The investment will boost production at the state-of-the-art factory where it will make advanced silicon carbide semiconductors, an integral part of electric vehicle production. This advanced technology supports faster battery charging time, enabling a more efficient supply of energy to the motor and longer driving distances. Vishay’s investment is expected to directly support over 500 high-value, high-skilled jobs in the region and indirectly support hundreds more in the wider supply chain.
The investment, supported by the government’s Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF), will help secure domestic supplies of semiconductors critical to the UK automotive industry and other key industries, including renewable energy and defence. It also strengthens the UK’s position in a competitive, global semiconductor landscape, supporting long-term economic growth.
Vishay Intertechnology intends to make a £250m investment at its Newport plant, the UK’s largest semiconductor facility / Picture: Getty/iStock
Never miss the latest manufacturing news by signing up to our newsletter here
Roy Shoshani, COO for semiconductors and CTO at Vishay, said: “This is an exciting moment, and the start of our plans for growth in the UK. We can see through the development of the Industrial Strategy and the skilled workforce in Newport that there is a real opportunity to play to the UK’s strength in advanced semiconductors, delivering greater economic security and supporting net zero.”
Jonathan Reynolds, business and trade secretary, said: “This is a huge vote of confidence in the Welsh economy and our plans to make Britain the destination of choice for investments in the industries of tomorrow. It will support local skilled jobs and raise living standards, showing our Plan for Change is working. Vishay’s investment will help secure a domestic supply of semiconductors, which are vital for our world-leading automotive sector, and support our clean energy industries—key growth-driving sectors identified in our upcoming Industrial Strategy.”
Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, added: “This massive investment by Vishay and the UK government is a huge boost for Wales’s world-leading semiconductor industry. Earlier this month, I was at Vishay to see the work they do on advanced manufacturing, renewable energy and defence industries – all key sectors in the Welsh economy. This investment will build on that success to create and support hundreds of highly skilled and well-paid jobs, driving economic growth in south Wales and beyond.”
