Edwards, today celebrates the opening of a new manufacturing facility in Asan City in Chungcheongnam-do province, South Korea. The new 16,000m2 factory joins Edwards facilities in Cheonan, South Korea and Qingdao, China, as a key production site for the vacuum pumps used in the global manufacture of semiconductors.
Attending today’s opening ceremony were Colin Crooks, British Ambassador to Korea, Seung-jo Yang, Governor of Chungcheongnam-do province, and Tae-kyu Lee, Vice Mayor of Asan City, along with representatives from Edwards key semiconductor customers in Korea. Jason Yun, General Manager of Edwards Korea, Kate Wilson, President of Edwards Semiconductor, and Geert Follens, President of the Vacuum Technique business area of Edwards’ parent company, Atlas Copco, represented Edwards at the opening
Semiconductor manufacturing is essential to supporting developments across the technology, electronics, automotive, scientific and healthcare sectors. A recent surge in demand has seen widespread investment in global manufacturing capability, and Edwards’ investment in the new Korea facility represents a significant step forward in ensuring the supply chain capacity required to support that growth.
Environmental sustainability has been a key consideration in the construction of the new facility. As well as conforming to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Certification, the site will also incorporate local exhaust ventilation to manage air quality and reduce exposure to airborne nanoparticles. The design, materials and colour used in the construction of the building have also been selected to be sympathetic to local surroundings.
The facility utilises advanced data technology as part of Edwards’ ‘factory of the future’ strategy, state-of-the-art manufacturing and measurement equipment, a fully temperature-controlled machine shop equipped with more than 100 machine tools, as well as a flexible manufacturing system to deliver the quality, operational excellence and productivity levels needed to support our customers’ demands in a rapidly changing market.
The new factory began production this month and will provide job opportunities for around 150 people.
Kate Wilson, President of Edwards’ Semiconductor business, said: “It gives me great pleasure to be here at the opening of our new dry pump factory in Korea, which will play a critical role in supporting our customers as they seek to respond to the extraordinary growth in global demand for semiconductors. Korea is a major player in the global semiconductor industry, and Edwards is proud of the role we have played in supporting that journey over the last three decades. This investment is a symbol of our continued commitment to supporting the future innovation and growth in semiconductor manufacturing in Korea and beyond.”
“On behalf of Edwards, I would like to thank our friends in the South Chungcheong provincial government, the Asan City Mayor’s office and the British Embassy for joining us today to mark this occasion, and for your support. I would also like to extend my thanks to the Edwards teams here in Korea and around the world whose hard work and commitment have contributed to this milestone.”
British Ambassador to Korea, Colin Crooks, said: “It’s great to see the UK and Korea working together to address global challenges, including the supply shortages of semiconductors which has become an issue for many major economies in the world. I would like to congratulate all concerned at Edwards and Chungcheongnam-do for the commitment and dedication they have shown to make this a reality”.
Opening the new manufacturing facility in Asan City, South Korea