Cree to Invest $1 Billion to Expand Silicon Carbide Capacity

Cree將投資10億美元，擴大SiC碳化硅產能

Advanced manufacturing campus will accelerate industry transitionfrom silicon to silicon carbide to meet EV and 5G market demand

先進的制造園區，將加速從Si硅向SiC碳化硅的產業轉型，滿足EV電動汽車和5G市場需求

Expansion to generate up to a 30-fold increase in SiC wafer fabrication capacity and 30-fold increase in SiC materials production to meet the expected market growth by 2024

此次產能擴大，將帶來SiC碳化硅晶圓制造產能的30倍增長和SiC碳化硅材料生產的30倍增長，以滿足2024年之前的預期市場增長

Five-year investment leverages an existing building (“North Fab”) and refurbished 200mm equipment to build state-of-the-art automotive-qualified production facility

5年的投資，充分利用現有的建筑設施North Fab，并整新200mm設備，建造采用最先進技術的滿足汽車認證的生產工廠

Investment: $450M for North Fab; $450M for materials mega factory; and $100M in other investments associated with growing the business

投資：4.5億美元用于North Fab；4.5億美元用于材料超級工廠（mega factory）；1億美元用于伴隨著業務增長所需要的其它投入

▲ Cree North Fab

DURHAM, N.C., May 7, 2019 – As part of its long-term growth strategy, Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE) announces it will invest up to $1 billion in the expansion of its silicon carbide capacity with the development of a state-of-the-art, automated 200mm silicon carbide fabrication facility and a materials mega factory at its U.S. campus headquarters in Durham, N.C. It marks the company’s largest investment to date in fueling its Wolfspeed silicon carbide and GaN on silicon carbide business. Upon completion in 2024, the facilities will substantially increase the company’s silicon carbide materials capability and wafer fabrication capacity, allowing wide bandgap semiconductor solutions that enable the dramatic technology shifts underway within the automotive, communications infrastructure and industrial markets.

2019年5月7日，美國北卡羅萊納州達勒姆訊 – Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE) 宣布，作為公司長期增長戰略的一部分，將投資10億美元用于擴大SiC碳化硅產能，在公司美國總部北卡羅萊納州達勒姆市建造一座采用最先進技術的自動化200mm SiC碳化硅生產工廠和一座材料超級工廠。這項標志著公司迄今為止最大的投資，將為Wolfspeed SiC碳化硅和GaN-on-SiC碳化硅基氮化鎵業務提供動能。在2024年全部完工之后，這些工廠將極大增強公司SiC碳化硅材料性能和晶圓制造產能，使得寬禁帶半導體材料解決方案為汽車、通訊設施和工業市場帶來巨大技術轉變。

“We continue to see great interest from the automotive and communications infrastructure sectors to leverage the benefits of silicon carbide to drive innovation. However, the demand for silicon carbide has long surpassed the available supply. Today, we are announcing our largest-ever investment in production to dramatically increase this supply and help customers deliver transformative products and services to the marketplace,” said Gregg Lowe, CEO of Cree. “This investment in equipment, infrastructure and our workforce is capable of increasing our silicon carbide wafer fabrication capacity up to 30-fold and our materials production by up to 30-fold compared to Q1 of fiscal year 2017, which is when we began the first phase of capacity expansion. We believe this will allow us to meet the expected growth in Wolfspeed silicon carbide material and device demand over the next five years and beyond.”

Cree首席執行官Gregg Lowe先生表示：“我們不斷地看到在汽車和通訊設施領域采用SiC碳化硅的優勢來驅動創新所產生的巨大效益。但是，現有的供應卻遠遠不能夠滿足我們對于SiC碳化硅的需求。今天，我們宣布了公司迄今在生產制造的最大投資，將大幅地提升供應，幫助客戶為市場提供變革性的產品和服務。這項在設備、基礎設施、公司人力方面的巨大投入，將為我們顯著擴大產能。與2017財年第一季度（也就是我們開始擴大產能的第一階段）相比較，能夠帶來SiC碳化硅晶圓制造產能的30倍增長和材料生產的30倍增長。我們相信這將使得我們能夠滿足Wolfspeed SiC碳化硅材料和器件在未來5年乃至更長遠的預期增長。”

The plan delivers additional capacity for its industry-leading Wolfspeed silicon carbide business with the build out of an existing structure as a 253,000 square-foot, 200mm power and RF wafer fabrication facility as an initial step to serve the projected market demand. The new North Fab is designed to be fully automotive qualified and will provide nearly 18 times more surface area for manufacturing than exists today, initially opening with the production of 150mm wafers. The company will convert its existing Durham fabrication and materials facility into a materials mega factory.

這項計劃將為業界領先的Wolfspeed SiC碳化硅業務提供附加產能。通過增建現有的建筑設施，作為面積253,000平方英尺的200mm功率和RF射頻晶圓制造工廠，邁出滿足預期市場需求的第一步。新的North Fab將被設計成能夠全面滿足汽車認證的工廠，其生產提供的晶圓表面積將會是今天現有的18倍，剛開始階段將進行150mm晶圓的生產。公司將把現有在達勒姆的生產和材料工廠轉變為一座材料超級工廠。

“These silicon carbide manufacturing mega-hubs will accelerate the innovation of today’s fastest growing markets by producing solutions that help extend the range and reduce the charge times for electric vehicles, as well as support the rollout of 5G networks around the world,” said Lowe. “We believe that this represents the largest capital investment in the history of silicon carbide and GaN technologies and production with a fiscally responsible approach. By using existing facilities and installing a majority of refurbished tools, we believe we will be able to deliver a state-of-the-art 200mm capable fab at approximately one-third of the cost of a new fab.”

Cree首席執行官Gregg Lowe先生同時還表示：“這些SiC碳化硅制造超級工廠，將加速當今最快增長市場的創新。通過提供解決方案，幫助提高EV電動汽車的行駛里程并減少充電時間，同時支持5G網絡在全世界的部署。我們相信這代表著SiC碳化硅和GaN氮化鎵技術和制造有史以來最大的資本投資，也是一種在財政上負責任的方式。通過采用現有工廠和安裝絕大部分的整新工具，我們相信我們可以實現提供最先進技術的200mm fab，并且成本大約僅為一座新fab的1/3。”

The expanded campus also creates high-tech job opportunities and will serve as an advanced manufacturing workforce development initiative. Cree plans to partner with state and local community and four-year colleges to develop training programs to prepare its workforce for the long-term, high-quality employment and growth opportunities the new facilities will present.

擴大的園區將創造高科技就業機會，并提供先進制造人才發展計劃。Cree計劃與州、當地和四年制院校開展培訓項目，為新工廠所帶來的長期、高端就業和成長機遇提供人才儲備。