Pragmatic Semiconductor has officially inaugurated the UK's first 300mm semiconductor wafer fabrication line at Pragmatic Park in Durham. This manufacturing facility produces chips utilizing Pragmatic's flexible integrated circuit technology. Known as FlexICs, these chips are cost-effective, sustainable alternatives to traditional silicon chips. They are ultra-thin and have a flexible form factor that enables connectivity, sensing, and computing capabilities, driving the Internet of Things (IoT) adoption in various sectors such as consumer electronics, industry, and healthcare. The company's mission is to enable item-level intelligence for billions of smart devices across diverse applications in the coming decade.
Pragmatic Park has the capacity to accommodate up to nine fabrication lines, each capable of producing billions of chips annually. In contrast to conventional silicon fabs, Pragmatic's manufacturing process involves fewer steps and a more compact footprint, showcasing its commitment to sustainability. The optimized manufacturing process facilitates rapid production cycles of less than 48 hours, claiming to be highly cost-effective. Moreover, this process significantly reduces energy and water consumption compared to standard silicon manufacturing, as well as minimizes emissions of harmful gases.
In a press release, the company affirms that this manufacturing facility will cater to the increasing demand for Pragmatic's technology. Over the next five years, Pragmatic anticipates creating over 500 highly skilled jobs in the North-East of England and Cambridge.
Dave Moore, the CEO of Pragmatic Semiconductor, remarked in the press release that the official opening signifies a significant milestone in the company's growth trajectory and for the UK's presence in the global semiconductor arena. He expressed pride in the team's accomplishments and the ambitious mission to enhance intelligence for billions of sustainable, smart devices over the next decade. Such scalable intelligence has the potential to drive digital transformation across industries. Sustainability lies at the core of the company's technology, enabling customers to advance innovations and work towards global net-zero targets through the utilization of FlexICs in their products and services.
