- It will add 150 jobs to support U.S. electric vehicle production, the company’s chief executive said
- Michigan has seen nearly $9 billion in planned investments and more than 10,000 jobs added as part of the EV transition
As per a report by Reuters, SK Siltron’s U.S. unit will announce that it plans to invest $300 million in Michigan to expand its silicon carbide wafer manufacturing. It will add 150 jobs to support U.S. electric vehicle production, the company’s chief executive told Reuters.
The report added that SK Siltron CSS said the investment over the next three years would more than double the company’s workforce in Michigan and add a new 140,000-square foot site in Bay City, Mich., to join its current facility in nearby Auburn, Mich.
Help develop a domestic EV supply chain based in Michigan
SK Siltron CSS Chief Executive Jianwei Dong told Reuters the $300 million investment would “help develop a domestic EV supply chain based in Michigan because we have our end customers in nearby communities.” The investment will “help EVs go further and charge faster”, added the report.
The report added that Dong said that right now they are seeing so much demand from customers. He added that the company is considering additional investments and that the wafers can also be used in 5G communications equipment. SK Siltron CSS manufactures silicon carbide wafers used in semiconductor power components.
Relax cooling requirements and shrink power module size
In EVs, the wafers allow for more efficient electricity transfer from battery to motor, increasing driving range by 5 per cent to 10 per cent, the company said. They can also reduce charging times, relax cooling requirements and shrink power module size and weight. The report added that some studies suggest the shift to electric vehicles will require fewer workers because EVs are mechanically simpler. It is unclear how many EV parts will be manufactured in the United States.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation said the state has been working to attract EV-related jobs. In the last two years, Michigan has seen nearly $9 billion in planned investments and more than 10,000 jobs added as part of the EV transition.The SK Siltron CSS expansion is still awaiting state and local approvals, the company said.
