Polymatech, ECM Group Forge Strategic Joint Venture for Semiconductor Wafer Fabrication in Grenoble, France

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Polymatech, a multinational corporation (MNC), a leading player in semiconductor manufacturing with a strong presence in India and global business operations in USA, Singapore, Bahrain, UK and UAE announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ECM Group, a globally recognised leader in advanced microelectronics and semiconductor technologies to establish a Joint Venture Company in Grenoble, France. The new venture will focus on producing sapphire ingots and wafers, key materials for advanced semiconductor devices.

This marks Polymatech's second Semiconductor Co-Investment Program, reinforcing the company's strategic focus on accelerating growth in the semiconductor industry. The initiative is part of Polymatech's broader Smart Strategy, aimed at expanding its global manufacturing footprint while maintaining a robust financial position. The proposed Joint Venture Company will establish its manufacturing operations in Grenoble, known as the Silicon Valley of Europe, and it is a pivotal hub for semiconductor technology in Europe. Grenoble is home to key industrial entities and prime research institutions. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as Polymatech's premier high-volume production hub for sapphire wafers, utilising the cutting-edge Greentech technologies from both Polymatech and ECM Group.

Polymatech and ECM Group will make an initial joint investment of €100 million, with Polymatech holding the majority stake. This follows Polymatech's earlier investment of $30 million in wafer development. By shifting wafer fabrication to the new Grenoble facility, Polymatech can focus on unlocking and redeploying high-end packaging capabilities at its Chennai plant. Aligned with its global transformation strategy, Polymatech is committed to substantial investments in expanding process leadership, including billions of dollars to enhance its wafer fabrication and advanced packaging capacities worldwide.

Under the MoU, the joint venture company will fabricate wafers in Grenoble, positioning itself as a key player in meeting the growing global demand, including Polymatech's own captive consumption needs. Polymatech will hold a controlling interest of over 75% in the venture. This strategic joint venture is designed to bolster Polymatech's financial strength by securing capital at a cost lower than its equity cost, further enhancing its solid balance sheet. From a ratings perspective, the investment in the joint venture is expected to be treated as equity-like, reinforcing the company's financial flexibility and long-term growth potential.

The joint venture will manufacture wafers for Polymatech on a cost-plus-margin basis. Under the agreement, Polymatech is committed to purchasing wafers from the joint venture for both its internal use and external customers, with minimum volume commitments following the facility's substantial completion. This arrangement is expected to lower Polymatech's cost of goods (COGs), enhancing overall profitability.

"The agreement with ECM Group provides us with additional flexibility to execute our strategy as we invest in creating the world's most resilient and sustainable semiconductor supply chain," said Eswara Rao Nandam, CEO of Polymatech. "Our investments in cutting-edge manufacturing capacity in both the U.S. and Europe are vital to meet the rising demand for sapphire, silicon, and silicon carbide materials, as the global semiconductor market is expected to double in size over the next five years. This joint venture allows us to partner with a renowned technology leader on favourable terms while maintaining our strong investment-grade credit rating."

Laurent Pélissier, Founding President and CEO of ECM Group, added, "We are excited to enter this strategic partnership with Polymatech. This joint venture highlights ECM Group's expertise in innovating and delivering state-of-the-art crystal growth equipment for high-quality semiconductor wafer production. It also emphasises our role as a trusted partner with 50 years of experience, supporting the development of the new economy, including next-generation AI technologies, which will require significant investments in sustainable power generation, data centres, foundries, and semiconductor capabilities."

"France has demonstrated significant appeal to foreign investors in recent years, thanks to its skilled workforce, stable legal and regulatory environment, robust infrastructure, and strong innovation support under the France 2030 initiative," said Anis Jouini, General Manager of ECM Greentech.

"The Joint Venture complements Polymatech's forward integration plans making Polymatech an End-to-End Semiconductor Company," said Tarja Hannele Rapala Virtanen, Director, Polymatech Electronics. "We will produce Sapphire wafers, Silicon Carbide and Silicon Wafers from this French facility. The uninterrupted and high-quality electricity produced by nuclear electricity and Apls water gives us perfect quality ingots," she added.

ECM Group, through its subsidiary ECM Greentech, will supply the furnaces, leveraging advanced sapphire crystal growth processes. ECM Greentech will collaborate with key partners to establish a complete production line, from ingot creation to finalised wafers or specific samples.

Production at the joint venture is slated to begin in January 2026, with an annual wafer capacity of 500,000 units. This venture marks Polymatech's first manufacturing presence in Europe, specifically in France, in partnership with ECM Group.