M+W Zander has successfully completed the construction of a new plant in Suzhou (China). The project was commissioned by one of the biggest manufacturers of semiconductors in the world, Infineon Technologies AG.

The company recently held the official opening of its new backend-production facility for memory products in the city nearby Shanghai. M+W Zander was responsible for planning and construction of the new production site–including the cleanroom around 10,000 square meters.

M+W Zander started on initial conceptual studies for constructing the new production plant in June 2003. Work started on the project at the beginning of November 2003. Less than nine months later, in July 2004, installation of the first process equipment commenced. The cleanroom was handed over to Infineon in August 2004. There on an area of 10,000 square meters the production of the first memory products is scheduled to start up at the end of the year. For comparison, a soccer pitch measures 6,500 square meters. Mass production of up to one billion chips a year is projected from 2005.

Infineon has a share of some 72.5 percent in the new production site. The remaining 27.5 percent are owned by the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park. This industrial park was developed jointly by the governments of China and Singapore. A track record spanning more than ten years makes this one of the most successful industrial parks in China.

M+W Zander has been active in China for more than ten years and has completed projects there for customers from the semiconductor and flat-screen sectors, pharmaceuticals and the automotive industry. M+W Zander now has around 400 employees on its payroll there.