AT&S Officially Opens New Plant in China

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What are substrate-like PCBs and what are they used for? Substrate-like PCBs are the evolution of high-end PCBs. Their structures are even finer with about 20-30 micrometres and they have significantly more connectors. They are the prerequisite for new packaging solutions (for example, several chips and electronic components are not separately assembled to the PCB, but the components are mounted to the chips and are combined in a package), which are in turn used for wearables and other potential Internet-of-Things solutions.

What are Advanced Packages/ Wafer Level Packages and what are they used for? Advanced Packages refers to solutions used to package electronic components such as chips and other components together and then assemble them onto or in the printed circuit board. Wafer Level Packaging is the technology of packaging an integrated circuit while still on a wafer format (a thin slice of semiconductor material – like crystalline silicon).

Fact & figures on AT&S in Chongqing:

• Total investment of € 480 million for two plants by mid-2017:

Approx. € 280 million for two production lines for IC substrates (FCBGA substrates)

Approx. € 200 million for two production lines for substrate-like PCBs (SLP)

• Start of first production line for IC substrates in Q4 of the financial year 2015/16 (1/1 – 31/3/2016)
• Start of the second production line for IC substrates expected for Q3 of the financial year 2016/17 (1/10 – 31/12/2016)
• Start of the first production line for substrate-like PCBs in the second half of the calendar year 2016.

Fact & figures on AT&S in China:

• AT&S investment in China by December 31, 2015: € 870 million
• Roughly 5,900 employees in China
• Since 2000 present in China with a high-end plant in Shanghai for PCBs for mobile devices and automotive applications (capital expenditure of roughly € 630 million in four stages)
• Benchmark of the PCB industry in China with seval awards for environmental protection, safety, education and social matters
• New site in Chongqing with two plants and a total of four production lines with an investment in property, plant and equipment totalling € 480 million
• Factors for competitiveness: high-end production in China combined with European innovative power and governance as well as absolute quality and customer orientation