With the IPCEI program, the European Union supports companies that make important contributions to the technological development of key industries on the old continent. Over the past ten years, AT&S has contributed significantly to two IPCEI projects with innovative technology and a strong network of reliable partners. As part of the ongoing IPCEI ME/CT project, AT&S is setting up a production facility for advanced IC substrates and advanced packaging technologies with an integrated research center in Leoben (IPCEI on Microelectronics and Communication Technologies). On May 20, AT&S hosted the Austrian IPCEI Day, at which the Austrian IPCEI partners presented their current progress and had the opportunity to visit the new AT&S production and research facility for the first time.
New Competence Center in Leoben
“The new competence center in Leoben is currently undergoing process qualification and will officially open in June 2025,” says Hannes Voraberger, Head of Research and Development at AT&S and host of the Austrian IPCEI Day. “This is an important milestone for AT&S’s contributions to the IPCEI ME/CT. This project has played an important role for us for a long time and we are pleased to show what we have achieved. The Austrian IPCEI Day is an excellent opportunity to deepen existing contacts with other key players in the microelectronics industry, and we have prepared a varied and exciting program for our guests.”
The Austrian IPCEI Day is organized by AT&S in cooperation with the Austrian IPCEI ME/CT partners AVL List GmbH, Ebner Group, Infineon Technologies Austria AG, NXP Semiconductors and Silicon Austria Labs and has become a hub for knowledge and networking in the domestic microelectronics industry. The event offered valuable insights into the individual research projects, with presentations by experts from the companies and contributions from the Austrian Ministries of Innovation and Economic Affairs.
Europe moves forward
“The IPCEI program contributes to the development of European innovations in the high-tech sector that are quickly brought to volume production and the market,” says Martin Mischitz, Project Manager of IPCEI ME/CT at Infineon and member of the Facilitation Group. “It strengthens the European networks between large and small industrial companies and expands them through funded collaboration. The knowledge generated in industry is thus passed on to universities, research institutions, SMEs and start-ups, creating a win-win situation for the whole of European society.”
The new, state-of-the-art IC substrate production facility with integrated research center that AT&S has built in Leoben is a perfect example of the positive effects of IPCEI. AT&S will be the first European manufacturer able to offer advanced IC substrates, which are crucial for the development of more powerful and efficient microchips. This will not only create new jobs in Austria, but will also help to secure Europe’s long-term prosperity. The new plant in Leoben is well on its way to becoming a global center for the development and production of IC substrates for 2-nanometer microchips, virtual system development and energy-efficient semiconductor switches.
“IPCEI is an important framework for the Austrian and European semiconductor industry. It is about innovative topics that lead to successful products and helps to develop the European semiconductor industry into a competitive global player,” says Ferdinand Bell, Chairman of the IPCEI ME/CT Facilitation Group.
