News: Suppliers
10 May 2021
OIPT breaks ground on new manufacturing facility
Plasma etch and deposition processing system maker Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology (OIPT) of Yatton, near Bristol, UK has broken ground at the site of its new manufacturing facility in Bristol.
The relocation is driven by the growing demand from customers (which include leading semiconductor device manufacturers and materials research institutions, the firm says).
“Our new building will comprise both a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility as well as advanced research laboratories which will support our leading-edge developments and enable the future innovations of our customers,” says managing director Matt Kelly.
Strong growth in the last four years has seen the company grow to more than 400 employees worldwide, with over 300 of these working across the laboratory, office and manufacturing space at the existing Plasma Technology UK headquarters in Yatton.
“The building will comprise 107,660ft2 with an extensive additional fit-out,” says Mark Wright, partner at Trebor Developments, who is managing the project.
For many years, OIPT has focused its expertise on compound semiconductors and optimized its hardware, making it suitable for operation in the fab, delivering critical device performance, yield and cost of ownership. The markets for compound semiconductor applications, such as gallium nitride (GaN) fast chargers and silicon carbide (SiC) power devices, are growing notably, driving the need for expansion. The evolution of Plasma Technology into the semiconductor production space, combined with the increased demand for its systems, not only calls for additional space but also requires a facility to further enhance capabilities as a production supplier, the firm says.
