SK Siltron to Invest $300M in Bay County Facility, Create up to 150 Jobs

South Korea-based SK Siltron CSS, a semiconductor wafer manufacturer, today announced plans to invest $300 million and create up to 150 high-paying, skilled jobs in Bay County over the next three years.
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A scientist at SK Siltron CSS holding a silicon carbide wafer produced at the company's Auburn Hills' facility. // Courtesy of SK Siltron
A scientist at SK Siltron CSS holding a silicon carbide wafer produced at the company’s Auburn Hills’ facility. // Courtesy of SK Siltron

South Korea-based SK Siltron CSS, a semiconductor wafer manufacturer, today announced plans to invest $300 million and create up to 150 high-paying, skilled jobs in Bay County over the next three years.

The investment will provide manufacturing, along with research and development capabilities, of advanced materials for electric vehicles.

The expansion will more than double the company’s Michigan employee base, adding a new site in Bay City to join its existing site in Auburn Hills. The company manufactures a specialty wafer made of silicon carbide (SiC) that can be used in the semiconductor power components of electric vehicles.

These wafers can increase the driving range of an EV by 5 to 10 percent when used in EV system components by allowing a more efficient transfer of electricity from the battery to the motor.

“The rise in popularity of electric vehicles has the auto industry searching for new innovative technologies to meet customer demand,” says Jianwei Dong, CEO at SK Siltron. “Our Michigan expansion will allow us to manufacture advanced materials that can enhance the performance of an EV and support the growth of a more sustainable automotive future.”

The company will work closely with state and local partners to recruit and train potential employees. The new employees will be 70 percent skilled workers and 30 percent professional engineers.

SK Siltron CSS’s silicon carbide wafer technology has benefited from its close collaboration and direct access to SK Siltron’s expertise in scaling up production of semiconductor wafers. These silicon carbide wafers can be used in EV system components including power converters, chargers, and inverters.

In addition to helping increase driving ranges for EVs, the electrical and thermal properties of silicon carbide can help reduce charging times, relax system cooling requirements, and shrink the power module size and weight.

The expansion, pending state and local approvals, is part of a new domestic supply chain forming to provide the components required to support new environmentally friendly vehicles.

“As we build toward a more sustainable future, it is important that we create new, robust supply chains in the U.S. to support our corporations and the end consumer,” says Gina M. Raimondo, U.S. secretary of commerce. “The automotive industry has a tremendous opportunity with the rise of the electric vehicle, and we’re excited to see companies like SK Siltron CSS expanding to help support the transition to a green future.”

SK Siltron is a part of SK Group, one of South Korea’s leading conglomerates. Along with semiconductors, the group companies are leaders in telecommunications, energy, and life sciences.