Renesas has commenced operations at its Kofu Factory in Japan to ramp up the production capacity of power semiconductors to meet the rising demand in the electric vehicle (EV) sector.
The Kofu Factory previously manufactured 150mm and 200mm wafers but ceased operations in October 2014. However, in May 2022, Renesas decided to reopen the factory as a 300-mm wafer fab to support the growing demand for power semiconductors.
Renesas invested 90 billion yen in 2022 in the factory, and it’s set to start mass production of Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs), power MOSFETs, and other products in 2025, effectively doubling Renesas’ current production capacity for power semiconductors. The factory boasts a clean room size of up to 18,000 square meters.
Hidetoshi Shibata, President and CEO of Renesas, said, “We are proud to announce a remarkable achievement of the Kofu Factory. After its closure in 2014, the Kofu Factory has gone through a transformation and emerged as a dedicated 300-mm wafer fab for power semiconductors, exactly a decade later. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the local governments of Yamanashi Prefecture, Kai City and Showa Town as well as the plant construction companies, equipment vendors, outsourcing and other partner companies. The power semiconductors produced at the Kofu Factory will help maximize the effective use of electricity, which will be in significant demand as EVs and AI continue to proliferate and advance.”
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