Aixtron announces Malaysian facility
Deposition equipment company Aixtron has announced that it is building a state-of-the-art facility in Penang, Malaysia, with both manufacturing and engineering capabilities.
The investment establishes two key enabling technology areas for AI infrastructure in Malaysia.
First, Aixtron says, its wide-bandgap semiconductor technologies, which include include GaN, InP and SiC, help address the “AI Power Wall” by enabling more efficient power conversion for data centres, energy infrastructure and electric vehicles.
Second, Aixtron’s products offer solutions for the 'AI Data Wall' by enabling high- performance optical interconnects with high bandwidth, fast data transmission and reduced energy demand. Together, these technologies address two of the central challenges facing the continued growth of AI: the need for more energy-efficient computing infrastructure and the need to move ever-larger volumes of data at high speed.
On July 22, 2026, Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid, CEO of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), visited Aixtron in Herzogenrath, Germany, to gain firsthand insight into the manufacturing and development of Aixtron products.
He said: “Aixtron’s investment in Penang is fully aligned with Malaysia’s national strategy to strengthen its position in the global semiconductor industry. The presence of a front-end equipment manufacturer of Aixtron’s caliber will directly support Malaysia’s National Semiconductor Strategy, its high-value and digital economy agenda, and its national target of developing 60,000 high-skilled semiconductor professionals by 2030. Aixtron will contribute to this goal by recruiting locally and developing the skills of its new Penang workforce, and its products will play a pivotal role in improving energy sustainability and transforming the country toward a greener future.”
Felix Grawert, (pictured above) CEO of Aixtron, adds: "Malaysia is becoming an important location for advanced semiconductor technology, and Aixtron is proud to contribute to this development. With our new site in Penang, we are bringing front-end equipment manufacturing, engineering capabilities and our new Customer Service Support centre closer to one of the world’s most dynamic semiconductor ecosystems. Our technologies are at the heart of the transition to third- generation semiconductors and help overcome both the ‘AI Power Wall’ and the ‘AI Data Wall’ – two key challenges for the next phase of AI growth."
