Odisha takes a big leap in chip manufacturing with ground-breaking ceremony of SiCSem's unit

Bhubaneswar, Nov 1 (IANS) As India doubles down on semiconductor manufacturing, SiCSem, a subsidiary of Archean Chemical Industries Ltd, on Saturday lauded the vision and commitment of both the Central and Odisha governments in enabling the semiconductor revolution, as the company performed the ground-breaking ceremony of its compound semiconductor fabrication facility at Info Valley here.

Rajeev Kumar, Head of Strategy at Archean Chemical Industries Ltd, the parent company of SiCSem, said semiconductor manufacturing is one of the most complex and technology-intensive industries in the world.

"Establishing such a facility requires long-term vision, deep collaboration, and strong policy support. What we are witnessing today in Odisha is the culmination of that effort and belief," he added.

Rajeev Kumar appreciated the proactive industrial ecosystem of Odisha and the consistent support extended by the government.

"When we started this journey two years ago, we were driven by the idea of contributing meaningfully to India’s semiconductor ambitions. Today’s milestone at Info Valley reflects the success of that partnership," he noted.

Rajeev Kumar further emphasised that the project would create a robust semiconductor value chain in eastern India, attract high-end investments, and provide significant employment and skill development opportunities for local youth.

“With this Fab and ATMP facility, Odisha is poised to play a defining role in India’s semiconductor growth story,” he said.

According to Ranjit Pendurthi, Managing Director of Archean Chemical Industries Ltd, the occasion marks a defining moment – "not just for our company, but for India’s semiconductor ecosystem".

"We are proud to be a part of this transformative journey envisioned under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Odisha, with its forward-looking policies and skilled talent pool, offers the perfect environment to build a world-class facility," he mentioned.

He highlighted that the project would create advanced technology jobs, nurture local talent, and position Odisha as a strategic player in India’s electronics and semiconductor revolution.

Approved by the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) with a capital investment of Rs 2,067 crore, the compound semiconductor fabrication facility will create 5,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. The facility will have an annual capacity of 60,000 wafers along with a packaging capacity of 96 million units.

--IANS

na/vd