Up to $187M CAD to
be invested to progress expansion of chip packaging capacity and
capabilities and to strengthen R&D at IBM Canada's Bromont plant
BROMONT,
QC, April 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE:
IBM), the Government of Canada,
and the Government of Quebec today
announced agreements that will strengthen Canada's semiconductor industry, and further
develop the assembly, testing and packaging (ATP) capabilities for
semiconductor modules to be used across a wide range of
applications including telecommunications, high performance
computing, automotive, aerospace & defence, computer networks,
and generative AI, at IBM Canada's plant in Bromont, Quebec. The agreements reflect a
combined investment valued at approximately $187M CAD.
"Today's announcement is a massive win for Canada and our dynamic tech sector. It will
create high-paying jobs, invest in innovation, strengthen supply
chains, and help make sure the most advanced technologies are
Canadian-made. Semiconductors power the world, and we're putting
Canada at the forefront of that
opportunity," said the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime
Minister of Canada.
In addition to the advancement of packaging capabilities, IBM
will be conducting R&D to develop methods for scalable
manufacturing and other advanced assembly processes to support the
packaging of different chip technologies, to further Canada's role in the North American
semiconductor supply chain and expand and anchor Canada's capabilities in advanced
packaging.
The agreements also allow for collaborations with small and
medium-sized Canadian-based enterprises with the intent of
fostering the development of a semiconductor ecosystem, now and
into the future.
"IBM has long been a leader in semiconductor research and
development, pioneering breakthroughs to meet tomorrow's
challenges. With the demand for compute surging in the age of AI,
advanced packaging and chiplet technology is becoming critical for
the acceleration of AI workloads," said Darío Gil, IBM Senior Vice
President and Director of Research. "As one of the largest chip
assembly and testing facilities in North
America, IBM's Bromont
facility will play a central role in this future. We are proud to
be working with the governments of Canada and Quebec toward those goals and to build a
stronger and more balanced semiconductor ecosystem in North America and beyond."
IBM Canada's Bromont plant is
one of North America's largest
chip assembly and testing facilities, having operated in the region
for 52 years. Today, the facility transforms advanced semiconductor
components into state-of-the-art microelectronic solutions, playing
a key role in IBM's semiconductor R&D leadership alongside
IBM's facilities at the Albany NanoTech Complex and throughout
New York's Hudson Valley. These agreements will help to
further establish a corridor of semiconductor innovation from
New York to Bromont.
"Advanced packaging is a crucial component of the semiconductor
industry, and IBM Canada's Bromont
plant has led the world in this process for decades," said
Deb Pimentel, president of IBM
Canada. "Building upon IBM's 107-year legacy of technology
innovation and R&D in Canada,
the Canadian semiconductor industry will now become even stronger,
allowing for robust supply chains and giving Canadians steady
access to even more innovative technologies and products. This
announcement represents just one more example of IBM's leadership
and commitment to the country's technology and business
landscape."
Chip packaging, the process of connecting integrated circuits on
a chip or circuit board, has become more complex as electronic
devices have shrunk and the components of chips themselves get
smaller and smaller. IBM announced the world's first 2 nanometer
chip technology in 2021 and, as the semiconductor industry moves
towards new methods of chip construction, advances in packaging
will grow in importance.
"Semiconductors are part of our everyday life. They are in our
phones, our cars, and our appliances. Through this investment, we
are supporting Canadian innovators, creating good jobs, and
solidifying Canada's semiconductor
industry to build a stronger economy. Canada is set to play a larger role in the
global semiconductor industry thanks to projects like the one we
are announcing today. Because, when we invest in semiconductor and
quantum technologies, we invest in economic security."
— The Honourable François-Philippe
Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
"This investment by IBM in Bromont will ensure that Quebec continues to stand out in the field of
microelectronics. An increase in production capacity will solidify
Quebec's position in the strategic
microelectronics sector in North
America." — The Honourable Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister
of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister responsible for
Regional Economic Development and Minister responsible for the
Metropolis and the Montreal
region
About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid
cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more
than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data,
streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the
competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government
and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as
financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's
hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their
digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's
breakthrough innovations in semiconductors, AI, quantum computing,
industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and
flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's
legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility,
inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more
information.
Media Contact
Lorraine
Baldwin
IBM Canada
lorraine@ca.ibm.com
Willa Hahn
IBM Research
Willa.Hahn@ibm.com
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SOURCE IBM