Vishay to invest hundreds of millions in Itzehoe semiconductor plant

US semiconductor manufacturer Vishay plans to significantly expand production at its facility in Itzehoe, Germany. The investment, which political representatives suggest could reach approximately one billion euros, aims to boost the manufacturing of Power-Mosfets, which are power transistors designed for high electrical currents and voltages.

The expansion includes the production of 300-millimeter silicon wafers, an upgrade from the 200-millimeter wafers currently produced at the site. This larger diameter allows for more chips to be manufactured per wafer. The new production is intended to serve the automotive industry, commercial applications, and high-performance computing for artificial intelligence.

To support this initiative, the state of Schleswig-Holstein has issued a funding notice of approximately 215 million euros. Despite the highly automated nature of the production, the company expects to create up to 250 new jobs at the Itzehoe location.