Merck inaugurates semiconductor 'mega site' in Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung, Dec. 1 (CNA) German tech giant Merck Group on Monday inaugurated its Semiconductor Solutions mega site in Kaohsiung, which the company says will meet future demand for artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

At the inauguration, Kai Beckmann, deputy chair of Merck's executive board, said the Merck Semiconductor Solutions mega site will play a key role in Taiwan's semiconductor ecosystem, strengthening the island's strategic position in the global supply chain.

The Kaohsiung site covers roughly 15 hectares within the Southern Taiwan Science Park (Kaohsiung campus) and will primarily produce key semiconductor materials needed for next-generation logic, memory, and AI chips.

Built over the past five years with a total investment of 500 million euros (about US$580 million), the company said the site will produce technologies for AI applications, including thin-film, specialty gases and formulated materials.

According to Merck, the site was built to meet rapidly growing global demand for advanced materials and to strengthen the localization, controllability, and resilience of the supply chain.

At the event, Merck Taiwan Chairman John Lee (李俊隆) said that while Taiwan ranks first in the world in wafer foundry and packaging and testing, and second globally in IC design, upstream materials remain relatively insufficient, and Merck will actively serve as a supplier for these critical materials.

Lee added that Merck has been in Taiwan for more than 35 years, and its localized semiconductor materials solutions will help accelerate next-generation chip innovation and meet growing AI chip demand.

The mega site will create more than 150 high-tech jobs and help drive local talent development and industrial growth, Merck said.

Deputy Economics Minister Cynthia Kiang (江文若), who also attended the inauguration, said Merck's mega site in Kaohsiung helps fill a critical gap in Taiwan's semiconductor materials sector.

With this, Taiwan can now say its semiconductor supply chain is even more complete than ever and highly competitive, Kiang said.