Aixtron is a leading supplier of material deposition equipment for the semiconductor industry, including metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) systems that are used to grow LED epitaxial wafers.

One near-term objective of the investment is to meet the needs of the emerging LED general lighting market, by providing Aixtron’s customers—including many LED chip makers—with improved performance and reduced cost of ownership, said the company.

The new facility will be able to host up to 350 engineers at the end of phase 1, significantly increasing the company’s laboratory resources and prototype capabilities. These are used to develop next-generation complex material deposition manufacturing systems.

Aixtron will continue to manufacture its standard deposition equipment at its nearby main facilities in Herzogenrath, Germany, supported by its engineering and assembly locations in Cambridge, UK, and Sunnyvale, US.

Paul Hyland, Chief Executive Officer of Aixtron AG, said “This is a vitally important next step in the implementation of our product development strategy. The accelerated timing reflects the recent increase in volume and momentum we have seen in the markets we serve. It also underlines our commitment to deliver continuous improvement to the productivity of our products for our customers.”

“As we go into a very exciting period of innovation and growth, it is our firm intention to step up a gear to maintain our position of being always one step ahead.”