The inauguration ceremony for the investment in Chip Production Facility and "IDEA Incubation" center was held at the TUBITAK Gebze Campus. Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank, Deputy Ministers of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır and Hasan Büyükdede, Kocaeli Governor Seddar Yavuz, Qatar Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmad M. Hasnah, and TUBITAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal attended the ceremony.
Addressing the ceremony, Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank stated that technology and infrastructure investments for the country's future continue at full speed. Varank emphasized that they took two valuable strategic steps today, with the first being the introduction of TUBITAK's new Chip Production Facility, which will be one of the milestones of the "Turkey Century," related to chip production that has disrupted supply chain processes worldwide in recent times.
Varank mentioned that the global market size of the chip industry has reached 600 billion dollars, stating that almost every device at home contains a chip today, with over 1000 chips found in an average car. Pointing out that the chip market size is expected to approach 1.5 trillion dollars by 2030, Varank highlighted that there are also more important aspects than market share. Minister Varank emphasized the critical importance of the chip industry for national security, noting that advanced countries have been unveiling new roadmaps for the chip industry one by one and starting to implement them. Varank recalled that the European Commission approved the "European Chip Act" last year, triggering 47 billion dollars of public and private sector investment to increase the global market share in the chip industry. He also mentioned that the United States announced it would enact its new chip law to ensure supply security in the chip industry and reduce dependence on the Far East, activating 52 billion dollars in incentives.
In this context, Minister Varank used the following statements: "We are well aware that investments in chip technology are also a window of opportunity. In this respect, TUBITAK is already the most competent institution in our country in terms of chip design and production capabilities. We can design and produce strategic chips needed by our defense industry companies at TUBITAK." Varank recalled giving the example of MIHAL in previous speeches, expressing that they have demonstrated their capabilities in recent years by designing and producing their own chips. Varank pointed out that the export value per kilogram of these photodetector chips, which are needed by the defense industry, is $388,000, indicating a significant added value and great opportunities for the country.
"It will be a facility where critical components are produced and brought to market" Minister Varank expressed the importance they attach to the chip investment, which they will implement through the cooperation between Qatar Hamad Bin Khalifa University and TUBITAK BILGEM, stating that the machines and equipment required for establishing the chip production line, amounting to $30 million, will be provided by Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Varank explained that TUBITAK BILGEM will be responsible for constructing clean rooms, bringing machines from Qatar, installing them, and operating the facility. He continued as follows: "After the machine equipment is brought to the Gebze campus, we will start producing chips in this facility in about a year. We will have a facility where critical components needed by both countries are produced and brought to market. This facility will make significant contributions to our national income, reducing the current account deficit and employment with the technological solutions it develops. Of course, our chip policies are not limited to this production facility, such an investment. As important as producing chips is designing these semiconductors with domestic and national capabilities."
"We have both the competence and the infrastructure" TUBITAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal emphasized that the chip issue is a critical issue on the world agenda, stating the following: "Turkey actually has the infrastructure for chips. Through our Semiconductor Technologies Research Laboratory (YITAL) since 1983, we have this competence in Turkey, and we have had the competence and infrastructure to meet our country's defense industry needs to some extent since the early 2010s. I want to emphasize this. Because the competency dimension is important. Because without competence, having infrastructure is not very important. Therefore, we have our YITAL laboratory where competence and infrastructure are located.
We are adding a new one to these initiatives today," said Mandal, "The need here; It is an important stage to develop sensors for different purposes, both in terms of sensitivity, performance, and production speed, that is, achieving different goals. The competency we have had so far was at 250 nanometers. It is a known thing all over the world. We aim to reduce this to 65 nanometers. Is there anything beyond this? There must be, but we will improve our competency in this regard."
Chip Production Facility is Established Cooperation will be made between TUBITAK and Qatar Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) to establish a chip production facility at the TUBITAK Gebze campus. The machine park required for establishing the chip production line will be provided by HBKU. TUBITAK BILGEM will be responsible for constructing the production facility and clean rooms, bringing machines from Qatar, and operating the facility.
The facility, which has a clean area of 2000 square meters, will start chip production in about a year. There will also be R&D and product development opportunities in the Chip Production Facility. It will ensure the production and commercialization of critical technologies needed by both Turkey and Qatar in domestic and foreign markets.
