The Kofu Factory of Renesas Electronics Corporation, situated in Kai City, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, has commenced operations.
Renesas in its official release stated that it wants to increase the amount of power semiconductors it produces. The strategic move comes amidst the increasing demand for electric vehicles (EVs).
Renesas hosted an opening ceremony on April 11 to commemorate this achievement, which was attended by representatives from partner firms and the local government.
Under Renesas Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., a fully owned subsidiary of Renesas, the Kofu Factory had run 150mm and 200mm wafer fabrication lines before closing its doors in October 2014. Renesas decided to reopen the facility as a 300-mm wafer fab in May 2022.
It was aimed to meet the industry-wide objective of realizing a decarbonized society and meet the rising demand for power semiconductors said the official release.
After investing 90 billion yen in 2022, Renesas has commenced operations. In 2025, the plant will begin producing IGBTs and other goods in large quantities, tripling Renesas’ present capability to produce power semiconductors.
“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,” said Hidetoshi Shibata, President and CEO of Renesas. “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.”
For Further Info on the Kofu Factory of Renesas Electronics Corporation: renesas.com
