Silicon Box, a young Singaporean startup specializing in chiplet assembly, has chosen Novara as the location for its new factory, a 3.2 billion euro investment that represents an important step for Italy in the semiconductor sector.
Silicon Box doesn’t make processors in the traditional sense, but it has developed an innovative method for interconnecting chiplets (small specialized chips) using extremely short connections. This technology allows you to maximize processor performance, eliminating bottlenecks and opening up new possibilities in the field of chip design. But let’s see in detail what we know about the Novara plant.
A strategic plant for Europe
The Novara plant will be the first of its kind in Europe and will handle the final phase of chip production: cutting the die from the wafer, interconnection, testing and packaging. A process similar to what Intel was supposed to do in Italy.
Silicon Box’s investment in Novara has been enthusiastically welcomed by the Italian authorities, who see this initiative as an opportunity to create skilled jobs and strengthen Italy’s position in the high-tech sector. It is estimated that, at full capacity, the plant will create 1,600 new direct jobs, in addition to indirect ones related to construction and logistics. Furthermore, the plant will be built and operated according to European principles of minimizing environmental impact.
The President of the Piedmont Region, Alberto Cirio, defined Silicon Box’s investment as the first step in transforming Piedmont into the Italian Silicon Valley. The region, thanks to its strategic position and infrastructures under development such as the TAV and the Terzo Valico, is a candidate to become an important technological hub in Europe.
The arrival of Silicon Box in Novara represents a great opportunity for Italy, which is part of a context of growing interest in the semiconductor sector. Recently, STMicroelectronics also announced an investment of 5 billion euros to upgrade its production hub in Catania, dedicated to the production of silicon carbide wafers for the electric automotive industry.
And what do you think of the arrival of Silicon Box in Novara? Do you believe that Italy can become an important player in the semiconductor sector? Share your opinions in the comments.
