Outlook Supplement - Flipbook - Page 20
Forecast
Leveraging high-density interconnects
like through-silicon vias (TSVs) and
redistribution layers (RDL) at a 300mm
scale provides a unified domestic
platform for vertical integration,
allowing these diverse technologies to
function as a single, high-performance
system.
Supported by the CHIPS and Science
Act, the expansion of U.S. manufacturing capacity is a pragmatic and bold
response to a volatile global market.
Establishing a robust 300mm ecosystem
on the Space Coast ensures that the
United States remains at the forefront
of the technologies defining the next
decade. We are excited to be part of this
historic inflection point for American
innovation as we build the necessary
infrastructure to adapt and thrive in a
rapidly changing world.
Europe’s Semiconductor
Opportunity: Meeting the Moment
STEPHEN M. ROTHROCK,
Founder & CEO, ATREG, Inc .
The European Chips Act was meant to
be a wake-up call. Three years later,
the response has been
underwhelming. Intel’s
German megafab is
on hold, Wolfspeed’s
European expansion
never materialized,
and Broadcom pulled
out of their $1 billion
STEPHEN M.
plan for an R&D site in
ROTHROCK
Spain. The €43 billion
initiative has produced a handful of
meaningful commitments— ESMC,
STMicroelectronics, Infineon,
GlobalFoundries, and Silicon Box, but
Europe’s share of global chip production
continues to slide.
Yet declaring Europe’s semiconductor
ambitions dead would be a mistake. The
real opportunity is not about chasing
Taiwan’s leading-edge dominance or
outspending America’s subsidies. It
lies in something Europe already does
exceptionally well – specialty and
18
mature-node manufacturing backed by
world-class research infrastructure.
Consider the fundamentals. Europe’s
research ecosystem – imec, CEA-Leti,
Fraunhofer, VTT – remains unmatched.
As imec’s Luc Van den hove has noted,
“You can’t make an advanced chip
without European technology.” The
FAMES Pilot Line, one of five pilot
initiatives within Europe and funded
with €830 million, is bringing together
these institutions to develop low-power
technologies for automotive, IoT, and
mobile applications. Critically, its open
access policy gives European manufacturers early access to next-generation
capabilities that competitors simply
cannot replicate elsewhere.
Meanwhile, defense spending is
surging. Germany has announced plans
to double defense expenditure to €650
billion over five years. France, Italy,
and the UK are following suit. This isn’t
abstract policy – it’s real demand for
mature-node chips in missiles, drones,
and secure communications systems.
Europe’s reliance on Chinese legacy
chip production for strategic applications has become untenable, demonstrated forcefully by the recent Nexperia
situation.
Policymakers are taking notice. A
European Chips Act 2.0 is already
taking shape, with EU member states
agreeing earlier this year to strengthen
their collective position in semiconductors. Unlike the original legislation
which offered no specific support
for mature-node production, the next
iteration is expected to target the legacy
chips that underpin Europe’s defense
and industrial base. Importantly, European policymakers need to maintain
the legacy semiconductor assets they
already have and prevent them from
falling into disrepair and closure.
Whether for leading-edge 300mm applications or such specialty applications
as photonics, numerous semiconductor
firms globally have found creative
solutions to refurbish mature fabs – ADI
| Supplement to January 2026 Semiconductor Digest
in Oregon, New Photonics in Belgium,
and Octric Semiconductors in the UK
are three examples worth replicating.
The strategic calculus is straightforward. Semiconductor companies
without meaningful European capacity
risk ceding ground to competitors who
recognized this shift early. The window
to establish presence ahead of the
competition is open, but it won’t remain
so indefinitely.
EU Cybersecurity
Regulatory Evolution and
Its Impact on Semiconductor
Manufacturing Equipment
DR. FAHAD GOLRA, D i r e c t o r o f
Product Innovation, Agileo
Automation
European regulations on safety and
cybersecurity are evolving and will
affect industrial equipment, including
semiconductor manufacturing tools,
whenever they fall within scope. The
Cyber Resilience Act
(CRA), the Radio
Equipment Directive
(RED), and the new
Machinery Regulation
each focus on different
aspects of digital,
radio, and mechanical
functionality. Together,
they will influence how FAHAD GOLRA
original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs) design, certify,
update, and maintain equipment over
the next decade.
The CRA establishes mandatory cybersecurity requirements for all products
with digital elements. For semiconductor
tools that include embedded controllers,
communication interfaces, diagnostics,
or remote update mechanisms, CRA
obligations will apply starting in
December 2027. Manufacturers must
ensure secure planning, design, development, and maintenance, supported
by vulnerability handling processes
throughout the product lifecycle. They
must also provide an SBOM (Software
www.semiconductordigest.com
