Micron’s $9.5b chip plant to give Singapore
foothold in AI space; will create up to 3,000 jobs
- Micron Technology is building Singapore’s first advanced semiconductor plant in Woodlands, focusing on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips essential for AI applications.
- The US$7 billion facility will create around 1,400 jobs initially, with plans to expand to 3,000 jobs by 2027, contributing significantly to Singapore’s semiconductor ecosystem.
- HBM chips, critical for AI workloads, improve data storage, processing speed, and energy efficiency, supporting technologies from companies like Nvidia and AMD.
- Micron’s CEO predicts the HBM market to grow from US$4 billion in 2023 to over US$100 billion by 2030, highlighting the importance of advanced memory technologies in AI.
- Singapore’s strong talent pool, innovation capabilities, and educational collaborations make it a key global semiconductor hub, producing 10% of the world’s chips.
US tech giant Micron Technology started building Singapore’s first advanced semiconductor plant in Woodlands, which will be oriented toward making HBM chips that power AI. Due to multiple layers of memory stacked upon one another, HBM chips store more data, speed up processing, and consume less power. These are crucial chips for AI workloads that graphics cards and accelerators run from Nvidia and AMD.
The US$7 billion (S$9.5 billion) facility will employ about 1,400 people when it starts operations, increasing to 3,000 as the facility ramps up. Operations will start in 2026, with packaging capacity to be added in 2027. Micron currently employs 9,000 people in Singapore.
CEO Sanjay Mehrotra of Micron spotlighted the rise of AI and memory technologies, citing that the HBM market would grow from US$4 billion in 2023 to more than US$100 billion by 2030. The plant, he said, would spur innovation, anchor the semiconductor industry in Singapore, and build a local talent pool.
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong applauded the investment as placing Singapore in pole position in this fast-growing AI sector. While acknowledging challenges affecting the world’s economy, like US-China trade tensions, he spoke to Singapore’s strong suits: talented people, innovation, and a pro-business environment. And it will forge partnerships between Micron and Singapore-based educational institutions that further boost the talent pool in Singapore.
Micron has invested over US$30 billion in Singapore since 1998, making the country a crucial node in the global semiconductor supply chain. Singapore produces one-tenth of the world’s chips and has seen US$18 billion in semiconductor investments over the last two years.
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