Infineon opens 'Smart Power Fab' ahead of schedule
Infineon has opened the Smart Power Fab in Dresden, Germany several months ahead of schedule.
The €5b plant is the largest single investment in Infineon's history and one of the largest investment projects in Germany, creating 1,000 new, direct jobs.
The new fab doubles Infineon's manufacturing capacities at the Dresden site, thus creating the world's largest factory for intelligent power semiconductors and analogue / mixed-signal technologies.
"We're opening our new plant at just the right time," says Jochen Hanebeck, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG. "Our Smart Power Fab is creating urgently needed capacities for the key technologies of the future, for everything from energy supply for AI data centres to software-defined vehicles and renewable energies. Infineon is thus giving an important impulse in making the global AI revolution possible and securing supply chains in critical industries. By taking this step, we are strengthening our global vanguard position as a leading manufacturer of power semiconductors and analog / mixed-signal technologies."
"Infineon’s new Smart Power Fab sends out a powerful message about Germany and Europe as a centre of industry," says German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz. "This investment shows that competitive, cutting-edge semiconductor production in our country is possible. Power semiconductors are a key technology for the energy transition, the future of mobility and our AI infrastructure – meaning they are crucial to make our economy fit for the future. The expansion of Infineon’s production capacity in Dresden also strengthens our technological sovereignty and the resilience of important supply chains in Europe."
Karsten Wildberger, German Federal Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernization, says: “What is being produced here in Dresden secures jobs and creates value in Germany, because these cutting-edge chips are at the heart of key technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, and the power infrastructure for AI data centres. The Smart Power Fab marks another milestone on Germany’s path toward digital sovereignty and demonstrates that Germany can move fast, Germany can deliver high-tech innovation, and Germany can shape the future.“
Saxony's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer says: "Microelectronics is the key technology of the 21st century, the foundation of innovation, competitive strength and economic progress. The choice of Dresden, home to Europe's largest microelectronics cluster, represents a decisive location advantage. Infineon's new Smart Power Fab makes this unique ecosystem stronger and shows that major industrial projects can be implemented securely and swiftly with the right basic prerequisites. This sends a strong signal about Dresden as an industrial location and about the future of microelectronics in Europe."
The new Smart Power Fab uses digitalisation to accelerate production to twice as fast as in the past, depending on demand. For example, the building itself and the ideal machine layout were pre-planned and optimised using a digital twin. System and process clearance is supported by AI algorithms. Furthermore, the connection to the Infineon plant in Villach as "One Virtual Fab" makes qualification of processes and products significantly faster than in the past. The increased ramp-up speed lets Infineon effectively and flexibly leverage current market opportunities, including in the field of AI.
Infineon says its Smart Power Fab is also setting new standards in sustainable manufacturing. The new manufacturing system requires no natural gas and cuts water consumption with water treatment and the implementation of closed-loop water systems. Approximately 90 percent of the water used is to be reintroduced in the circulation, making it possible to recover a much as 45 percent of the energy used.
