By the end of 2028, annual production capacity here is expected to rise to more than one million 300-mm wafers, making Dresden the largest foundry site in Europe. The additional capacity will support GF’s differentiated technologies for applications in the automotive, aerospace, industrial IoT, and defense sectors—markets that are increasingly shaped by Physical AI.
“Europe’s industrial base relies on chips that are not only available and trustworthy but are also manufactured close to the customers who urgently need them,” explains Tim Breen, CEO of GlobalFoundries. “SPRINT expands this capacity in Dresden while also opening the door for customers to the next generation of energy-efficient computing power for Physical AI. In doing so, GF strengthens its role as a trusted partner for all industries that are particularly important to Europe.”
“With SPRINT, we’re not just creating additional cleanroom space. We’re investing in Germany’s future as an industrial and innovation hub, in resilient European supply chains, and in secure and reliable access to differentiated semiconductor technologies,” says Dr. Manfred Horstmann, Senior Vice President and General Manager at GlobalFoundries. “Together with our partners, we are sustainably strengthening the Dresden site and creating additional capacity to reliably supply our customers in their demanding markets.”
“Today’s topping-out ceremony marks an important milestone in the overall project timeline and demonstrates that Exyte, as the general contractor, is moving forward with this significant expansion of semiconductor manufacturing capacity on schedule, together with GlobalFoundries and our partners. SPRINT is expanding the complex cleanroom and production infrastructure while the existing facility remains in operation,” adds Mark Vokes, Project Director at Exyte.
With this construction phase completed on schedule and within budget, GlobalFoundries can continue the remaining work at both the existing plant and the expansion project as planned.
At the event, GF also announced its intention to develop and produce FDX Fusion—the next generation of GF’s FD-SOI technology—in Dresden in the future. Designed for demanding physical AI applications, the platform is intended to combine 7-nm-class digital performance with analog, mixed-signal, embedded memory, and high-performance RF capabilities. The goal is to bring together energy-efficient data processing, sensor technology, real-time control, and secure connectivity on a single technology platform. *
GF employs approximately 3,000 people in Dresden and operates about 60,000 m² of cleanroom and laboratory space there. Depending on the product mix, annual production capacity is up to 950,000 300-mm wafers. Since 2009, the company has invested more than ten billion euros in Dresden. This makes the site one of the largest industrial investment projects in Germany. The SPRINT expansion project is supported by the European Union, the German federal government, and the Free State of Saxony as part of the European Chips Act. It is part of broader European efforts to strengthen semiconductor supply chains and enhance Europe’s industrial competitiveness. Through this expansion, GF will also be able to offer exclusively European processes and data flows for customers with particularly high security requirements, including those in critical infrastructure and the aerospace sector.
About GF
GlobalFoundries (GF) is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of semiconductors, which are essential for scalable AI solutions, from the cloud to physical applications. Through close, trusting partnerships with its customers, the company delivers differentiated, energy-efficient, and high-performance solutions for the automotive, aerospace, defense, data center, smart mobile device, Internet of Things, and other high-growth markets. With manufacturing sites in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, the company is a globally recognized and comprehensive technology partner. GF’s talented, international team works every day with a focus on safety, longevity, and sustainability.
* The actual start of development work on FDX Fusion is subject to the German federal government’s approval of the IPCEI AST project launch for GF Dresden.
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Related Links
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Photo: GlobalFoundries
