US chip maker Analog Devices is to invest €630 million into its European headquarters in Limerick, Ireland, to build a new research and manufacturing facility in order to spur development of semiconductor solutions for the industrial, automotive, and healthcare sectors. The firm expects to triple wafer production, helping its strategy to double its total manufacturing capacity and “enhance the resiliency” of its supply chain.
Analog Devices said it will hire 600 new staff at the new 45,000 square-foot, in the Raheen Business Park in Limerick. The firm currently has 1,500 employees in Ireland and 3,100 employees in Europe as a whole. The plan follows a €100 million investment last year into a “custom-built” 100,000 square-foot facility at the Limerick campus, geared for “innovation and collaboration”.
The firm said its Irish business has generated more than 1,000 patents, and “seeded” further R&D sites in Spain, Italy, UK, Romania, and Germany. The new investment is part of Ireland’s first application to the European Union’s Important Projects of Common European Interest on Microelectronics and Communication Technologies (IPCEI ME/CT) initiative, supported by the Irish Government and subject to approval by the European Commission./
Analog Devices said it will support cross-border collaborative research. Its IPCEI application is
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Vincent Roche, chief executive at Analog Devices Ireland (ADI), said: “Since 1976, Ireland has been a critical innovation center for ADI… This [new]… manufacturing facility and expanded R&D team will further extend ADI Limerick’s global influence. Through organic R&D and close collaboration with our customers and partners, we are striving to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges and enable a more efficient, safer, and sustainable future.”
An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, TD, said: “ADI’s investment is part of Ireland’s commitment to develop IPCEIs, and will contribute to Europe’s broader microelectronics sector. The future is digital. There can be no such future without microchips and it’s great that Ireland is such an important player in the supply chain.”
Michael Lohan, chief executive at IDA Ireland, said: “The technology that ADI will develop at this facility… is at the very forefront of innovation and has the potential to revolutionise the lives of billions of people across the world. This investment… is intended to strengthen our supply chain resilience for advanced semiconductor processes… This is a transformational investment for the Limerick site, for the mid-west region, and for the semiconductor industry.”