Silicon Box, a semiconductor company headquartered in Singapore, has announced a 3.2 billion euro investment to establish a new chip factory in Novara, Piedmont. The announcement was made by Adolfo Urso, the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, alongside senior management from Silicon Box. According to Urso, the investment is expected to create 1600 qualified jobs and will be the first European chiplet production plant.

The Italian government’s strategy aims to encourage large production investments in Italy and foster relationships with like-minded countries in order to enhance the country’s competitive advantage. In recent months, significant investments have been made in Italy’s microelectronics sector, including a 5 billion euro investment in Catania by StMicoelectronics. This project received around 2 billion euros in financial support from the Italian State under the European Chips Act. Other foreign investments in Italy, such as those from companies like Aixtron and SiPearl, as well as the European Commission’s investment in the Etna Valley, are also contributing to Italy’s position as a leading European microchip manufacturer.

Urso believes that Italy has the potential to become a key production hub for microelectronics in Europe and globally. He cites these significant investments as evidence of this potential. The state financing approval for a portion of the investment from the European Union is currently pending. Once approved, this investment will further solidify Italy’s position as a major player in the global microelectronics industry.