VIS weighs second Singapore plant as AI demand fills its first fab

Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) is planning a second wafer fabrication plant in Singapore. Its first one there just opened, and its capacity is already spoken for. The move runs through VSMC, the joint venture VIS operates with NXP Semiconductors. The reason is AI demand, specifically for the less glamorous specialty chips that AI infrastructure quietly depends on. A fab that sold out before it switched on VSMC inaugurated its first 300mm fab in Tampines on September 28, 2026. Production is expected to begin in Q1 2027. That gap matters. The initial capacity of the facility has already been fully booked, so customers committed to output that does not exist yet. VIS Chairman Leuh Fang said customer demand has stretched the first facility’s capacity beyond its limits. That pressure is what prompted the company to start evaluating a second plant. The economics of the first site are not small. The investment is estimated at approximately US$6.7 billion to US$7.8 billion. The plan calls for the Tampines fab to reach 44,000 wafers per month by 2029. It is also expected to create about 1,600 jobs. Who owns what, and what it makes The joint venture is split 60% to VIS and 40% to...