Merck Group Taiwan yesterday said it plans to invest NT$17 billion (US$611.2 million) in Taiwan over the next five to seven years, primarily in a 15-hectare “Mega Site” in the Southern Taiwan Science Park’s (南部科學園區) Kaohsiung center.
The Mega Site is to be the first of its kind globally for Merck KGaA, which is headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany.
The group is “a leading science and technology company [that] operates across Healthcare, Life Science and Electronics,” its Web site says.
Photo: CNA
Merck Group Taiwan was established in 1989.
“I want to point out that this is the largest investment program that Merck has ever started in Taiwan,” Merck CEO Kai Beckmann said. “We aim to create 400 new jobs in many areas, including R&D [research and development], engineering, production and administrative functions.”
Merck is beefing up its semiconductor production and research and development capabilities in Taiwan to meet growing local and global demand for semiconductors.
Supply chain challenges have beset the industry, Beckmann said.
“Our investment project will help resolve these issues and ensure a strong and high-quality supply chain,” he added.
The Taiwanese investment is a part of a greater global investment plan called “Level Up” Merck KGaA announced in September with investments projects around the world totaling up to 3 billion euros (US$3.4 billion).
“The Mega Site will include Merck’s entire line of semiconductor material solutions, including thin film, special gases and other specialized materials,” Merck said in a news release. “In addition, Merck’s current production facilities in Kaohsiung will be expanded.”
Merck is also planning a semiconductor research and development center in Hsinchu, where it hopes to provide faster and more efficient services to customers.
“We are committed to strengthening our footprint in Taiwan and will fully support the expansion of the local semiconductor industry and the technology transformation of display companies,” Merck in Taiwan managing director John Lee (李俊隆) said.
“Taiwan’s semiconductor supply chain is very mature in general, but upstream materials and equipment have long been overlooked,” Lee said. “With this investment Merck seeks to address that gap.”
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