With the building of the Smart Power Fab in Dresden, Infineon Technologies is starting the last stage of construction on time. Michael Kretschmer, the prime minister of the Free State of Saxony, formally transferred the last outstanding building permit for the new factory, which had been given by the State Directorate of Saxony, during a visit.
The construction hole has now been completely excavated. On the two-meter-thick concrete foundation, work on the shell and building construction is presently underway.
In May 2023, Infineon formally started construction on the new facility near Dresden. The goal is to begin manufacturing in 2026. Semiconductors that support digitalization and decarbonization will be the main focus of manufacturing.
A total investment of five billion euros has been made in the Smart Power Fab in Dresden. The company is making a significant contribution to the European Commission goal to increase the EU’s share of global semiconductor production to 20 percent by 2030.
The semiconductors manufactured in Dresden will secure future value chains in key European industries. The products manufactured in the new production facility will be used in the automotive and renewable energy industries.
The interaction of power semiconductors and analog/mixed-signal components enables particularly energy-efficient and intelligent system solutions – hence the name Smart Power Fab.
“The construction of the Smart Power Fab is a big win for Dresden, Saxony, Germany and Europe,” says Michael Kretschmer, Prime Minister of the Free State of Saxony. “Infineon’s fourth production module in Dresden is another important building block in strengthening Europe’s resilience in the field of microelectronics.
“It is a further step towards achieving the European Commission’s goal of increasing Europe’s share of global chip production to 20 percent. Thanks to a thoughtful cooperation between the company, the Free State of Bavaria, the local authorities, and the federal government, it has been possible to get the investment off the ground and to issue the relevant permits quickly. As a result, the semiconductors that we urgently need for the mobility and energy transition can be produced in the new fab starting in 2026, added Michael.“
“We are making excellent progress with the construction of our state-of-the-art Smart Power Fab in Dresden. We are right on schedule also thanks to the excellent cooperation with the authorities,” says Dr. Rutger Wijburg, Member of the Management Board and Chief Operations Officer of Infineon. “With our strategic decision to continue investing in Dresden, we are securing the long-term future of the site and strengthening the manufacturing base for semiconductors in Europe.”
The building site of the Smart Power Fab in Dresden is astounding in its size. Since the beginning of work, construction workers have removed almost 8,000 tons of soil every day on average. 180 Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of excavated earth have been generated in total—450,000 cubic meters.
In a specifically built area close to the freeway intersection near Dresden Airport, the earth is being temporarily kept. In addition to compensating for the natural gradient, the 22-meter-deep hole also serves as a solid platform for the 150–190 centimeter-thick base plate, which is designed to minimize vibrations from things like passing streetcars. The delicate semiconductor fabrication is susceptible to even little vibrations.
The basement floors and the remaining levels will be constructed during the following phase of development. The fourth floor is intended to house the clean room, which is the hub of the Smart Power Fab.
When finished, it will be precisely the same height as the three manufacturing rooms that are now on the site. This will maximize a production that is integrated. Ten tower cranes, some of which are 80 meters high, will be used in the project’s next development phase to support up to 1,200 construction workers who would work various shifts on the site every day.
Dresden’s investment is a component of the company’s 2030 CO2-neutrality ambition. New efficiency criteria for the use of vital resources like energy and water are established by the Smart Power Fab. This has a beneficial effect on Infineon’s carbon footprint.
Even now, the CO2 emissions from Infineon’s solar and wind power plant products are reduced 34 times over the course of their lifespan, during manufacture.
Infineon Generating an Extra 1,000 Jobs in the Capital of Saxon
Infineon is generating an extra 1,000 jobs in the capital of Saxon with the investment in the new factory. Currently, the Dresden-based firm employs over 3,250 people. With the new Fab, the number of trainees has already expanded dramatically.
The project will be supported in line with the goals of the European Chips Act, subject to the national grant procedure and the European Commission’s state assistance determination. Infineon hopes to get almost one billion euros in public support.
