Infineon opens new plant in Suzhou

Germany-based Infineon Technologies AG formally opened Thursday its joint venture plant in Suzhou City, Infineon Technologies Suzhou Co. Ltd.

The plant would be specialized in manufacturing memory products, expected to roll off by the end of this year, the company said at the inaugurating ceremony.

The facility, located in the Suzhou Industrial Park, is still under construction. Once completed, it will have a maximum annual capacity of up to one billion memory chips.

Infineon was currently holding a 72.5 percent stake in the joint venture, and Suzhou Industrial Park Venture Co. the rest 27.5 percent, the company said.

¡°With this cooperation, we are systematically expanding our presence in the future market of China,¡± said Peter Bauer, Infineon Technologies AG¡¯s chief marketing officer.

The company was also planning an IT development center in Suzhou, which would focus on manufacturing processes and was expected to employ around 100 engineers, Bauer said.

Infineon has been an active player in the Chinese market since October 1994 when it was still under the name of Siemens Semiconductors. It currently employs some 1,200 people in the country and plans to grow its workforce to more than 3,000 in the near future.

(Shenzhen Daily-Agencies)