STMicroelectronics (ST) recently announced plans to invest 5 billion euros (about 5.4 billion U.S. dollars) in Catania, Italy, to build a new factory focused on chip and package manufacturing. This long-term project will be supported by the EU's "Chips Act", which means that the Italian government will provide the company with a 2 billion euro subsidy.
According to a statement from STMicroelectronics, the new factory will focus on the manufacture, testing and packaging of silicon carbide (SiC), and is expected to start production in 2026, with a goal of reaching full capacity in 2033. This move is driven by the "Chips Act", which aims to address global supply chain disruptions and chip shortages during the epidemic.
The European Commission first proposed the 43 billion euro "Chips Act", which aims to produce 20% of semiconductors worldwide by 2030. Through this plan, the EU will invest billions of euros in chip research and encourage countries to support "first-of-its-kind" chip production. This move not only promotes the development of the EU's local chip industry, but also paves the way for the EU to promote the development of its own semiconductor industry together with countries such as the United States, Japan and South Korea.
This investment will bring huge economic and technological development opportunities to Italy and the entire European Union, and promote local manufacturing and innovation capabilities. STMicroelectronics' move is not only beneficial to the EU's competitive position in the global semiconductor market, but also reflects the EU's attention and support for the local chip manufacturing industry, and will lay the foundation for the EU to gain more voice in the future technology field.