Onsemi has announced the completion of the expansion of its silicon carbide (SiC) fabrication facility in Bucheon, South Korea.
This expansion addresses the surging demand for SiC devices, particularly in applications such as electric vehicles (EVs), energy infrastructure, and high-power EV chargers.
The expanded Bucheon facility is equipped to manufacture more than one million 200 mm SiC wafers annually when operating at full capacity. This marks a substantial increase in production capacity and reflects Onsemi’s commitment to meeting the rapidly growing demand for SiC chips.
To support this expanded SiC manufacturing capacity, Onsemi plans to hire up to 1,000 local employees over the next three years. These positions will be predominantly highly technical roles, representing a significant increase of more than 40 percent compared to the current workforce of approximately 2,300 employees.
The expansion of the Bucheon facility is of paramount importance as SiC devices play a critical role in power conversion for EVs, energy infrastructure, and high-power chargers. The demand for these components has outpaced supply, making the expansion essential to ensure a stable supply for customers. Onsemi’s commitment to strengthening its leadership in intelligent power solutions is demonstrated through this significant expansion.
Construction of the advanced 150 mm/200 mm SiC fab line, along with a high-tech utility building and an adjacent parking garage, commenced in 2022 and was successfully completed in September 2023. The focus on building out a vertically integrated silicon carbide manufacturing supply chain at brownfield locations is evident in this expansion. The Bucheon SiC facility will begin production with 150 mm wafers and transition to 200 mm wafers in 2025 following the qualification of the 200 mm SiC process.
“The 150 mm/200 mm SiC wafer fab in Bucheon is critical to the success of our integrated SiC supply chain, enabling us to support the acceleration of electrification globally,” Onsemi CEO Hassane El-Khoury said.
