Axcelis breaks ground on Pyeongtaek expansion to widen ion implant capacity

Axcelis Technologies said Tuesday it broke ground on a $35 million expansion of its Asian manufacturing hub in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, that will sharply increase its output of ion implanters for chipmakers across the region.

The U.S. equipment maker said the new facility at the Oseong industrial complex will have about 200,000 square feet of floor space and is scheduled to begin production in the second half of 2028. The investment carries out a plan the company announced in September at an investment reporting ceremony in Washington chaired by the Korean industry minister during the G20 innovation ministers' meeting, where four U.S. companies declared a combined $2 billion in investment in semiconductor materials and equipment, advanced display materials and offshore wind.

Axcelis has positioned its Asian Operations Center, known as AAOC, as its only manufacturing site outside the United States. Opened in 2022, the center supplies ion implantation equipment to domestic customers including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, and ships directly to customers in China, Japan, Singapore and elsewhere in Asia-Pacific.

The company now intends to turn the Pyeongtaek site from a production base into a broader complex covering research and development, prototype manufacturing and technical training, with the aim of making it a core hub for the Asia-Pacific region. It said the build-out should let it respond faster and more reliably to equipment demand from customers at home and abroad, and contribute to training specialized workers through cooperation with local materials, parts and equipment suppliers.

"This investment by Axcelis is a meaningful one that shows trust in Korea's semiconductor industry," said Kang Gam-chan, head of the trade and investment office at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, at the ceremony. "We hope the AAOC expansion will make Korea's semiconductor supply chain stronger and serve as an opportunity for Axcelis's business to advance another step."

Kang added that the Korean government would work closely with Gyeonggi Province and Pyeongtaek to identify difficulties on the ground and support the investment so that it proceeds smoothly.

About 60 people attended the groundbreaking, including Axcelis chief executive Russell Low, Axcelis Korea chief Park Young-geun, Trade and Investment Office chief Kang, Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae and Pyeongtaek Mayor Choi Won-yong, along with representatives of customer and partner companies.