AT&S READY FOR HIGH-VOLUME PRODUCTION AT RM5 BLN PLANT IN KULIM

KULIM, May 5 (Bernama) – Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG (AT&S), one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-end integrated circuit (IC) substrates and printed circuit boards, is now ready for high-volume manufacturing at its newly completed campus at Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP), Kedah.

AT&S microelectronics business unit executive vice president, Ingolf Schroeder, said the start of high-volume production marks a significant milestone for both the company and Malaysia.

“By introducing high-end IC substrate technology to Kulim, we will contribute to Malaysia’s economic and technological growth in a sustainable manner,” he said at a press conference here today.

Schroeder stated that the Kulim campus, completed in a record time of just two years, has already begun producing high-end IC substrates for AMD’s data centre processors and other customers.

He added that the facility is expected to experience healthy growth, driven by rising global demand for central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs) used in data centres, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR).

“With the exponential increase in data volume, the demand for storage, transmission, and analysis continues to surge.

“AT&S is well-positioned to serve this market, and we expect more high-profile clients to join us at the Kulim plant within this financial year,” Schroeder said.

Highlighting AT&S’s commitment to Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem, Schroeder noted that the company is actively collaborating with the Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science and Technology (CREST) and the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) to support the National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS).

“We are already contributing significantly to Malaysia’s tech landscape. High-end manufacturing requires considerable investment, and we are grateful for the strong partnerships we have established with local institutions,” he highlighted.

To date, AT&S has invested approximately RM5 billion (Euro 1 billion) in its Kulim plant and administrative building, which has a gross floor area of about 255,000 square metres and houses around 500 high-tech machines.

AT&S Malaysia currently has about 1500 employees, and since its inception, RM600 million has been invested in research and development (R&D), Schroeder added.

Commenting on the ongoing tariff tensions between China and the United States, he said that the company is not affected as it produces only IC substrates and does not supply final products.

“Our operations in Austria, China, and now Malaysia are running and ramping up as planned. At present, the tariffs have no impact on our business,” he said.

— BERNAMA