Speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong at the Micron Singapore Expansion Groundbreaking

Mr Sanjay Mehrotra, President and CEO, Micron Technology,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1.                 Thank you for inviting me to join you here today for the groundbreaking of Micron’s new wafer fabrication facility in Singapore. 

2.                 This investment builds on a longstanding partnership between Micron and Singapore, and it reflects our shared confidence in what can be built here – not just in facilities, but in capabilities, people and long-term commitment. 

3.                 The global operating environment today is more uncertain and more volatile. 

a.          Geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and rapid technological change are reshaping how globally leading companies think about where to invest, where to produce, how to innovate, and how to manage risk across complex supply chains. 

4.                 At the same time, technology and innovation are advancing at extraordinary speed. 

a.          Developments in AI and automation are raising the stakes and creating new opportunities. 

b.          Innovation cycles are shortening, and execution is just as critical as invention. 

5.                 Companies are looking for locations they can trust – 

a.          Places that are open; 

b.          Rules that are predictable; and 

c.          With strong capabilities that are able to support highly complex operations over time. 

6.                 This is where Singapore positions itself. We aim to be a trusted hub where globally leading companies can anchor critical activities with confidence, even as conditions remain fluid globally. 

a.          Trust, for us, is built through policy consistency, strong governance, openness to the world, and the ability to support demanding, technology-intensive operations over the long term. 

b.          This is especially important in advanced manufacturing and innovation-driven sectors such as semiconductors. 

7.                 Micron’s investment in this new wafer fabrication facility is significant not only because of its scale, but because it anchors Singapore’s role in advanced NAND flash memory manufacturing. 

a.          This US$24 billion facility represents a major commitment to add capacity and capabilities. 

b.          As NAND technology advances towards higher layer counts, greater density, and more complex architectures, manufacturing becomes far more demanding. 

                                               i.               Success depends not just on financial investment, but on process integration, yield optimisation, and deep engineering expertise accumulated over many technology cycles. 

c.          This new facility will also deploy AI and automation to drive operational efficiency, while adopting sustainable methods to reduce its carbon and waste footprint. 

d.          By anchoring advanced 3D NAND manufacturing here, this facility strengthens Singapore’s leadership in NAND flash memory, and reinforces our role as a reliable, high-quality production node in global semiconductor and AI supply chains. 

e.          This matters because AI is an enduring and powerful growth driver for the semiconductor industry. 

                                               i.              From data centres to generative AI workloads, demand for high-performance storage is rising sharply. 

                                              ii.               High-performance solid-state drives, enabled by advanced NAND memory, are essential to improving real-time processing and read-write efficiency of large data sets. 

8.                 Equally important is the co-location of R&D with manufacturing. 

a.          As innovation cycles quicken, close integration between process development and production becomes essential to shorten time to market. 

b.          This new facility supports this integration and aligns closely with Singapore’s strategy to grow the semiconductor industry through deep capabilities. 

9.                 Importantly, this advanced and highly automated facility will also create good jobs for Singaporeans. 

a.          I am glad to note that this investment is expected to create about 1,600 jobs, including roles in fab engineering and operations, advanced robotics, and smart manufacturing technologies. 

b.          Micron has also been a close partner to many of our educational institutions. 

                                               i.               It has established MOUs with all 5 polytechnics, ITEs and most recently, with NUS’ College of Design and Engineering. 

                                              ii.               These partnerships will open up opportunities for students to participate in internships, mentorship and hands-on learning experience at Micron. 

c.          This is how we seek to grow competitive industries in Singapore – not only by anchoring global leaders, but also by training our people in industry-leading capabilities and creating strong career pathways over time. 

10.             Micron’s expansion will also open up new opportunities for SMEs in Singapore. 

a.          One such partnership is with Techfox. 

                                               i.               To enhance operational efficiency on its shopfloor, Micron worked with Techfox to customise autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to handle varying load requirements; 

                                              ii.               As well as to integrate these AMRs with Smart Racks and collaborative robots. 

b.          Micron is also working with local partners to strengthen its supply chain resilience. 

                                               i.               For example, through its partnership with BHS, Micron tapped BHS’ regional network to build specialised capabilities for transporting highly sensitive and high‑value equipment that are critical for high volume manufacturing.  

                                              ii.               This will give BHS a good and strong foundation to explore opportunities beyond Singapore, such as at Micron's new Assembly and Test Facility in India. 

11.             Taken together, these elements – R&D, advanced manufacturing, a highly skilled workforce, and strong local partnerships are key elements of the deep, competitive ecosystem here in Singapore. We will continue to strengthen and entrench our semiconductor ecosystem.

12.             Once again, congratulations to Micron on this latest milestone. 

a.          This expansion is an affirmation of your confidence in Singapore as a trusted hub, and a shared commitment to building deep capabilities, good jobs, and long-term partnerships. 

13.             I would also like to thank the Micron Singapore team for your operational excellence, which has laid the strong foundation that makes this investment possible. 

14.             We look forward to continuing this journey with Micron, and to deepening partnerships with globally leading companies as we chart the next phase of Singapore’s economic development. 

15.             Thank you.