New 300-mm wafer fab is key to Bosch's chip future

A new semiconductor plant is the single largest investment made by Robert Bosch AG in the 122-year-old company's history. The facility, in Dresden, Germany, is welcome news to automakers focused on building regional electronics production in the wake of supply shortages and bottlenecks. It's the latest move in Bosch's strategy to be a major player in the global microchip industry.

Bosch claims that the new Dresden plant, which began construction in 2017, is the first 300-mm (11.8-in.) wafer production plant (known as a wafer fab) to be built in Europe since 1999. Its construction was in step with the European Chips Act announced in February 2022. One of the aims of the Act is to double Europe's share of global semiconductor production from 10% to 20% by 2030.