CIL expands with new manufacturing facility for semiconductor packaging, power devices and printed circuit boards in Andover, UK

CIL is delighted to announce the establishment of a manufacturing facility for advanced semiconductor packages, power devices and bulk printed circuit assemblies (PCBAs) in the UK. Backed by a capital investment of £9 million, the 46,000 square feet adds to its existing 34,000 square feet, giving CIL over 80,000 square feet in Andover, UK. Following the first six-month stage of fit-out of its ISO7 (class 10,000) cleanroom totaling 15,000 square feet and associated office space, all of CIL’s microelectronics production and power device development will be transferred to the new facility in March 2023.

CIL has experienced very high demand for its micro-electronics and electronics assembly capability during the COVID period. Coupled with its InnovateUK-backed innovation programs which focus on strategic areas such as electrical device development and compound semiconductor technology, CIL has generated demand for this investment in increased capability and capability.

Beginning with the InnovateUK co-funded project “GaNSiC” in 2019 and followed by the APC15 project “@FutureBEV” in 2020, CIL has supported the development of GaN and SiC based power modules, discrete devices and Associated power PCBAs. These two projects have been catalysts for other important R&D projects that have been supported by national funding programs including the Advanced Propulsion Center (APC), Driving the Electric Revolution Center (DER-IC), DCMS and InnovateUK. They all focus on more efficient power electronics to support Net Zero. The technologies cover a range of sectors, including automotive, rail, aerospace and space, 5G communications and data center infrastructure. Since 2019, CIL has grown its specialized engineering department from 8 to 30 engineers and plans to double it again over the next 3 years. This investment in engineering skills, together with the additional unique processing equipment, will create one of the UK’s largest independent semiconductor packaging facilities and will house both world-leading development laboratories in world and full-volume production areas. The UK has a thriving integrated circuit (IC) design community, but very little UK-based packaging capability capable of handling development, low-volume and high-volume production, the new facility is CIL’s first step meeting this capacity requirement.

In addition to the extra capacity, CIL is also increasing its processing capability by adding equipment such as a DISCO DAD 3361 scroll saw, Boschman UNISTAR Automatic Film Assisted Plastic Overmold and Scheugenpflug VDS U1000 / LP804 VDU Auto epoxy filler system with more of equipment and processes to come. Once commissioned, this equipment will enable CIL to offer a UK based wafer cutting service, full device overmolding service for devices such as QFNs etc., partial overmolding of devices and a potting of SiC and GaN-based power modules manufactured in a UK-owned UK factory.