Singapore, an island nation in Southeast Asia, is known for its efficient governance, strategic location and mature financial market. However, in addition to finance and trade, Singapore's development of the semiconductor industry should not be underestimated.
Since the 60s of the last century, Singapore began to lay out the semiconductor industry, and gradually established the foundation of the semiconductor industry by attracting foreign capital and attracting foreign businessmen. In 1968, National Semiconductor established an assembly and testing plant in Singapore, followed by major international manufacturers such as Texas Instruments. In 1987, the establishment of Chartered Semiconductors marked Singapore's important position in the global semiconductor manufacturing field. Chartered Semiconductor had six fabs in Singapore, including a 300mm wafer production line completed in 2005, which was an extremely advanced manufacturing capability at the time.
The Singapore government spares no effort to support the semiconductor industry, providing a fertile soil for semiconductor companies to develop by providing tax incentives, financial support and a favorable regulatory environment. The establishment of the Institute of Microelectronics IME in 1991 and the subsequent establishment of the Semiconductor Industry Development Fund are important measures of the Singapore government to promote the localization of the semiconductor industry and improve the country's design and production capacity.
In the 21st century, Singapore's semiconductor industry continues to flourish, and data from 2010 shows that semiconductors have become an important pillar industry in Singapore, accounting for 58% of the electronics manufacturing industry. Singapore's semiconductor production capacity also increased from 6.3% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2009, making it an important hub for semiconductor production in Asia.
In recent years, with the restructuring of the global semiconductor supply chain, Singapore has once again become the focus of the semiconductor industry. United States semiconductor manufacturer Global Foundries and Germany manufacturer Siltronic have announced investment in Singapore, and France's Soitec has also expanded its business in Singapore. These investments have not only brought economic growth to Singapore, but also provided new impetus for technological innovation and talent training in the local semiconductor industry.
Figure: A*Star and Applied Materials jointly develop semiconductor equipment (Source: A*Star)
The partnership between Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Applied Materials has put Singapore at the forefront of semiconductor technology innovation. The joint laboratory for advanced semiconductor technology established by the two parties will focus on the development of advanced semiconductor technologies for next-generation logic and memory chips, which will undoubtedly further enhance Singapore's competitiveness in the global semiconductor industry. A*Star's research institutes will contribute their research and expertise to develop new ways to design and build innovative manufacturing processes and components for semiconductor devices, both parties said. It will also support SMEs in Singapore. Professor Lim King Fai, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Science and Engineering Research Council, Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research, said: "Our goal is to equip these companies with the expertise and skills needed to produce high-quality, reliable semiconductor components, enhance their capabilities and competitiveness, and take their place in the global value chain.”
The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), as the government agency that promotes business development in Singapore, is also actively attracting and supporting semiconductor companies to invest and develop in Singapore. By providing information, matchmaking, and assisting companies to achieve capacity development, transformation and upgrading, EDB provides strong support for the growth of semiconductor companies in Singapore.
Overall, the development of Singapore's semiconductor industry has benefited from the government's forward-looking planning, the active participation of foreign capital and the technological innovation of research institutions. With the continuous development of the global semiconductor industry and the continuous support of the Singapore government, Singapore is expected to play a more important role in the semiconductor industry in the future.
