The Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, visited KLA Corporation’s newly opened manufacturing and R&D facility at Imperial Park, in Newport, part of the compound semiconductor cluster there, which is expected to boost skilled employment in the region.
Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) supported US semiconductor equipment manufacturer KLA with a £6.25m grant to facilitate the expansion of the highly innovative new manufacturing and R&D facility in Imperial Park. An additional £750,000 was granted from Newport City Council for the same project, and the total sum of £7m will be committed over the next four years. The Secretary of State was accompanied by Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, the Leader of Newport City Council and senior managers from CCR.
The new 237,000 sq.ft facility includes manufacturing space, a fabrication plant, as well as office space for 750 employees, and is located within the compound semiconductor cluster in Newport, next to CCR’s CSC Foundry. The grant supports the expansion of the existing KLA business footprint in the region, bringing new manufacturing innovations and adding significant value to the Semiconductor and Compound Semiconductor Industries’ contribution to the Welsh economy.
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:
“I’m delighted to see this investment into the world-leading compound semiconductor cluster in Newport. KLA’s new facilities mean they can expand and employ more highly skilled people.
“The UK Government’s funding for Cardiff Capital Region and the local Investment Zone is helping drive economic growth in a sector where Wales leads the way, delivering the plan that we have set out in our Industrial Strategy.”
Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, Leader of Newport City Council, commented:
“This investment from CCR represents a stake in the new industries of the future, the new advanced manufacturing that is being built here in Newport on a massive scale. To drive a semiconductor plant such as KLA’s, we need people, and we need skills and other companies in the local supply chain to make it all happen. 80% of these needs are coming from within the region and this is a great opportunity for the economy of South East Wales.”
Commenting on the investment, Andrew Evans, Senior Director, Commercial Legal, at KLA said:
“The investments from both KLA and CCR into this new site reinforce the importance of Wales to KLA’s global operations. The technologies created and developed in Wales are critical not only to our customers in Europe but globally too. The technology and infrastructure, combined with the skilled talent pool here continue to make this operation in Newport very competitive on the global semiconductor landscape.”
