The Glasgow city region has received a major boost today with plans to create a new ‘advanced semiconductor packaging and integration centre’ in Renfrewshire.
The state-of-the art facility will transform computing components manufacturing and position Scotland and the UK at the forefront of the global race for supremacy in AI, quantum, photonics and integrated sensing.
It is thought the plant – which will form part of the University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Net Zero Innovation Centre (ANZIC), will enable faster development of semiconductor devices, reducing packaging lead times from months to days. The facility will also boost sovereign capabilities and mitigate geopolitical risk.
State-of-the-art equipment will allow partners to prepare and dice wafers, mount and connect devices, conduct testing, and seal devices in the final package.
The centre is expected to create 300 new jobs and unlock an estimated £800 million in additional revenue for UK and international businesses. The project is being led by by the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), and will benefit from a new UK Government £160 million funding announcement for the Glasgow city region.
Professor Sir Jim McDonald, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Strathclyde and chair of the NMIS Board, said: “The development of the National Advanced Semiconductor Packaging and Integration Centre reflects Strathclyde’s scientific and technological strengths and our longstanding commitment to industrial innovation and research that delivers real-world impact. This is a strategically important capability for the UK, enhancing our competitiveness, strengthening supply chains, and opening up new opportunities in high-growth sectors such as AI, quantum, and photonics.
“Through NMIS and our close collaboration with government and industry, we are helping to build the skills, infrastructure, and expertise required to secure the UK’s future as a global leader in advanced manufacturing.”
The National Advanced Semiconductor Packaging and Integration Centre (NASPIC) builds on a previous £8 million grant from Innovate UK for advanced packaging in power electronics. It responds to the accelerating need for semiconductor innovation to support next-generation technologies, from AI to photonics, as packaging capabilities struggle to keep pace with demand.
As the world embraces transformative technologies such as AI, quantum computing, photonics, and integrated sensing, the demand for semiconductors, and the advanced packaging they require, is growing rapidly.
A potential £29 million investment from GCRIZ (Glasgow City Region Innovation Zone) will fund new facilities to deliver complex, high-value solutions that are in short supply. Today, many wafer manufacturers are forced to offshore semiconductor packaging, resulting in long lead times and limited supply chain resilience.
Professor Matt Boyle, director of electrification at NMIS, said: “We are building a world-class capability here in Glasgow, positioning the region at the forefront of advanced semiconductor development. Our ambition is to serve the global market for semiconductor packaging. As part of this, we also intend to develop skills programmes that will fuel the sector’s expansion both locally and nationally.
“This latest funding boost underlines NMIS’s commitment to becoming a world-leading centre for advanced manufacturing in these critical technologies. NASPIC will support companies looking to bring manufacturing in-house and reduce their reliance on overseas supply chains. With access to the broader expertise at the University of Strathclyde, the centre will offer a wafer-to-systems integration capability.”
He added: “There is no other facility in the UK that offers the level of support and access to technology we are planning. This new national resource will be key to enhancing the UK’s position in a growing global market, nurturing businesses and enabling them to scale.
“This is a very exciting moment. Scotland has long been at the forefront of semiconductor innovation. Now, with fresh momentum and investment, we have the opportunity to put Scotland back on the global map for advanced packaging, underpinned by targeted skills development.”