On May 7, CREE, Inc. announced that it will invest $1 billion to expand SiC silicon carbide capacity as part of its long-term growth strategy, building a state-of-the-art facility at its US headquarters in Durham, North Carolina. The technology is automated with a 200mm SiC silicon carbide production plant and a material super factory. Of this, $450 million is for North Fab; $450 million for material mega factories; $100 million for other investments that are needed to grow with the business.
This investment is Cree's largest investment to date, providing kinetic energy for Wolfspeed SiC silicon carbide and GaN-on-SiC silicon carbide GaN business. Upon completion in 2024, these plants will greatly enhance the company's SiC silicon carbide material performance and wafer fabrication capacity, making the wide bandgap semiconductor material solution a huge technological shift for the automotive, communications infrastructure and industrial markets.
This program will provide additional capacity for the industry's leading Wolfspeed SiC silicon carbide business. By adding existing building facilities, the 253,000-square-foot 200mm power and RF RF wafer fabrication facility is the first step to meet anticipated market demand. The new North Fab will be designed to fully meet the automotive certification of the factory, and its production will provide 18 times the surface area of the wafer, which will be produced in the first half of the 150mm wafer. The company will transform the existing production and materials plant in Durham into a material super factory.
Gree CEO Gregg Lowe said: "These SiC silicon carbide manufacturing super factories will accelerate innovation in today's fastest growing market. By providing solutions to help improve the mileage of EV electric vehicles and reduce charging time, while supporting 5G networks Deployment around the world. We believe this represents the largest capital investment ever made in SiC silicon carbide and GaN GaN technology and manufacturing, and is also a financially responsible way. By adopting existing plants and installing most The new tool, we believe that we can achieve the 200mm fab that provides the most advanced technology, and the cost is only about 1/3 of a new fab."
The expanded park will create high-tech employment opportunities and provide advanced manufacturing talent development plans. Cree plans to conduct training programs with state, local and four-year institutions to provide a talent pool for the long-term, high-end employment and growth opportunities that the new facility brings.