Applied Materials has officially opened its Tampines Campus in Singapore – a US$500 million (S$600 million) manufacturing and R&D facility that more than doubles the company’s advanced cleanroom capacity in the country and is already operating at volume production to serve chipmakers expanding capacity for AI workloads.

The opening marks a significant milestone in Applied’s Singapore 2030 Plan and adds to a global manufacturing footprint that spans the United States, Europe, Israel and Taiwan. The campus is expected to generate approximately 1,000 new jobs in Singapore over the next few years, building on the company’s 35-year presence in the country.

AI-Enabled Intelligent Manufacturing

The Tampines Campus is designed as a showcase for next-generation semiconductor equipment production. It deploys autonomous mobile robots, autonomous assembly and testing systems, and AI-assisted quality inspection across its manufacturing operations. Augmented and virtual reality tools support technician training and precision maintenance — an approach Applied says accelerates time-to-market for new semiconductor technologies by tightening integration between manufacturing, R&D and ecosystem partners.

The facility is targeting Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Platinum certification, Singapore’s highest green building rating. Sustainability features include a closed-loop water reclamation system designed for zero water waste, onsite solar panels, LED lighting and a Smart Building Management System that monitors energy and water consumption in real time.

“Singapore has been a strategic hub of Applied Materials’ global operations for 35 years, and our expansion here is a testament to the world-class semiconductor ecosystem, infrastructure and talent this country has built.” — KC Ong, Group Vice President of Worldwide Manufacturing, Applied Materials

EDB Endorsement and Broader Context

The Singapore Economic Development Board’s chairman, Png Cheong Boon, welcomed the expansion, saying Applied’s use of advanced automation and AI technologies in the new facility would strengthen Singapore’s semiconductor ecosystem and create quality jobs for Singaporeans.

The Tampines opening comes alongside Applied’s separate US$5 billion EPIC Center in Silicon Valley — described as the largest-ever US investment in semiconductor equipment R&D — which is set to become operational in 2026. Together, the two facilities represent Applied’s strategy to compress the timeline from early-stage research to full-scale manufacturing at a moment of surging demand for AI chips.

Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson said the Singapore expansion strengthens the company’s ability to deliver semiconductor manufacturing equipment that chipmakers need to bring next-generation chips to market faster.