US semiconductor equipment maker KLA Corp has opened the first phase of what will be its fourth plant in Singapore.
The move is part of a US$200 million (S$259 million) plan to expand its presence here and make products for Asian and global customers.
Construction of the second phase will start soon and when finished by 2026, the new site is expected to add an estimated 400 additional employees to its local workforce, the firm said at a ceremony on 3 October to mark the completion of the first phase.
California-based KLA set up in Singapore with a sales and service office in 1996 and started manufacturing in 2006. It now employs about 1,500 people and has its regional headquarters here.
KLA’s expansion comes on the heels of several new investment commitments announced in recent years by companies that fabricate semiconductors or are part of the manufacturing value chain, such as processors of silicon substrate materials and companies that test, assemble, and package chips.
The chip firms that have made fresh investments include GlobalFoundries, Micron, Siltronic, Soitec, UMC, and a US$7.8 billion joint venture by Vanguard International and NXP Semiconductors.