Advanced Substrate Technologies (AST) has officially opened its new manufacturing facility in Singapore, the first in the country able to produce high-end Flip Chip Ball Grid Array (FC-BGA) substrates and the TOPPAN Group's first such facility outside Japan. The opening comes as demand for advanced substrate capacity, a persistent bottleneck for AI, networking, and next-generation computing chips, continues to outpace global supply. AST is a joint venture between TOPPAN Holdings Inc. and Broadcom Inc. Executives from AST, TOPPAN, and Broadcom welcomed Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade), along with other partners and guests at the opening ceremony.
Yoshiyuki Iida, CEO of AST, said the company's ability to deliver large-body, high-layer-count substrates to TOPPAN's exacting standards is helping ease a real bottleneck in AI and networking chip production. He thanked the Singapore government for its longstanding support and said the investment reflects TOPPAN's and Broadcom's long-term commitment to Singapore as a critical hub in their global manufacturing network, while also strengthening the resilience of the semiconductor supply chain.
The facility covers roughly 95,000 square metres and is designed to serve growing demand from generative AI and data centres in the region, with sustainability features such as solar panels and advanced water recycling. It complements TOPPAN's main production hub in Niigata, Japan, and will make large-body, high-layer-count substrates for advanced semiconductor products, including AI compute and networking devices. Since breaking ground in March 2024, AST has hired more than 200 high-tech engineers and skilled technicians, in addition to operational staff. The site also houses R&D capabilities to meet future performance demands and works closely with technology institutions in Singapore.
Satoshi Oya, President and COO of TOPPAN Holdings, described Singapore as an attractive gateway to the global semiconductor industry, thanks to its strong ecosystem of innovation, capabilities, and resources, and said TOPPAN looks forward to advancing semiconductor packaging as AI accelerates. The project has been supported by Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB) and JTC Corporation. Png Cheong Boon, EDB Chairman, said the facility will strengthen Singapore's position in advanced substrates, a critical enabler of advanced packaging, and in the global semiconductor value chain, adding that EDB will keep working with the companies to build new capabilities and create jobs. Jacqueline Poh, Chief Executive of JTC Corporation, noted that advanced substrates are increasingly critical as AI and high-performance computing drive demand, and said JTC is pleased to support the new facility in Jurong.
Broadcom, TOPPAN's largest customer for FC-BGA substrates, has closely supported the facility's development because of the strategic importance of additional large-body, high-layer-count capacity to its AI compute and networking roadmap. Charlie Kawwas, President of Broadcom's Semiconductor Solutions Group, said the Singapore capacity gives Broadcom meaningful flexibility and differentiation as demand for AI and networking silicon climbs. He added that the facility, brought online three months early, strengthens supply chain resilience by providing relief while the industry faces substrate shortages, and credited TOPPAN, AST, and the Singapore EDB for their execution and partnership.
Located in the Jurong Lake District, the facility is targeting the start of high-value manufacturing by late 2026, with recruitment continuing across engineering and technical roles. AST will work with TOPPAN and Broadcom to scale output as demand for advanced substrates grows across AI, networking, and next-generation computing applications.
