Micron Technology is speeding up the expansion of its memory manufacturing facilities to meet demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI), and wants its Taiwanese equipment, materials, and engineering suppliers to follow that growth beyond the island. The company is adding capacity in several markets and is turning to its supply chain partners to build cleanrooms and install equipment for projects in the United States, Japan, and Singapore.
Micron’s global expansion in 20 seconds
- Micron is accelerating its investments in Taiwan while expanding its industrial footprint in other markets.
- The company had invested NT$1.6 trillion, about $50.2 billion, in Taiwan through June 2026.
- Its projects include new DRAM facilities and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) packaging capacity.
- Taiwanese suppliers are taking part in construction and equipment work in the United States, Japan, and Singapore.
The strategy responds to growing pressure on memory supply. In remarks reported by Taipei Times on October 2, Donghui Lu, head of Micron’s front-end DRAM manufacturing operations in Asia and the company’s top executive in Taiwan, said the company expects a very high volume of construction investment over the next few years. The intent is to expand capacity without limiting its suppliers’ activity to the Taiwanese market alone.
The expansion also has an industrial dimension: companies that design cleanrooms, run facilities, supply equipment, or automate processes can win new contracts by following Micron into its international projects. For the company, that collaboration means working with partners who already know its technical needs; for its suppliers, it means building activity in markets beyond Taiwan.
Taiwan keeps a central role in memory production
Micron had invested NT$1.6 trillion in Taiwan through June, the equivalent of about $50.2 billion. According to Lu, spending over the previous four years had roughly matched the total invested over the prior 25 years. The company attributes the acceleration in memory chip demand to AI’s expansion and to shifts in tech consumption since the pandemic.
The company is expanding capacity at four main sites on the island. In Taoyuan, it’s converting an existing cleanroom at the Fab 11E plant, which will incorporate extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography to make next-generation dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips. According to Lu’s projections, the facility could come online by late 2027 or early 2028.
The infrastructure is being prepared to support advanced lithography technologies and leaves room to add high-numerical-aperture EUV equipment, known as High-NA EUV, in the future. This technology allows for more advanced manufacturing processes, though the company hasn’t announced a date for installing that equipment in the information published so far.
In Taichung, inside the Houli Science Park, Micron is building a second plant dedicated to packaging high-bandwidth memory (HBM), used in accelerated computing and AI systems. The site was expected to begin volume production in mid-November 2026, according to the information Taipei Times published on October 2. The company describes it as its largest manufacturing site in Taiwan.
Micron also plans to begin production at two fabs in Miaoli County during the second half of 2027. These moves are part of an expansion that combines upgrading existing facilities with new production and packaging space.
Taiwanese suppliers follow Micron abroad
The international expansion is leading Micron to work with Taiwanese companies specialized in facility engineering, cleanrooms, control systems, and industrial equipment. The company wants part of that technical capacity deployed alongside its new fabs, rather than relying solely on local suppliers in each market.
Among the companies Lu mentioned is Marketech International, which is involved in cleanroom work and equipment installation in Boise, Idaho, where Micron is developing new facilities in the United States. The company is also working with L&K Engineering to build an advanced memory packaging plant in Singapore.
In Japan, United Integrated Services has been selected to build new Micron fabs in Hiroshima. The list of partners also includes Acter Group, which specializes in facility engineering and electromechanical systems for cleanrooms; Scientech, focused on equipment for semiconductor processes and advanced packaging; and Mirle Automation, dedicated to industrial automation equipment and systems.
The presence of these suppliers across several projects shows that expanding semiconductor manufacturing doesn’t depend only on constructing buildings and buying machinery. Fabs need HVAC and filtration systems, environmental control, industrial utilities, equipment installation, and automated processes that meet very specific requirements.
For Taiwanese companies, following Micron can open business opportunities abroad, though it also requires managing projects across different jurisdictions and coordinating remote teams. The published information doesn’t detail the value of the contracts awarded to each supplier or how much they’ll bill for the international projects.
The move comes as Micron tries to expand memory supply for a market shaped by demand for AI servers and accelerators. The company warned investors in its latest earnings presentation that supply constraints could worsen in 2027 and 2028. Opening new facilities doesn’t immediately remove that pressure, since construction, equipment installation, and the gradual ramp-up of production all take time.
The company is also expanding its industrial footprint in other countries, including the United States, Japan, Singapore, and India, according to DIGITIMES industry reporting. The projects have different timelines and roles, so not all the new capacity will come online at the same time or be dedicated to the same type of memory.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Micron expanding its fabs?
The company is responding to growing memory demand, especially demand tied to artificial intelligence, and increasing its manufacturing and packaging capacity.
How much has Micron invested in Taiwan?
Micron had invested NT$1.6 trillion in Taiwan through June 2026, equivalent to about $50.2 billion, according to statements from its Taiwan head reported by Taipei Times.
Which Taiwanese suppliers are working with Micron abroad?
Those named include Marketech International, L&K Engineering, United Integrated Services, Acter Group, Scientech, and Mirle Automation.
When will the new facilities be ready?
The Fab 11E plant in Taoyuan could come online by late 2027 or early 2028. Micron also plans to begin production at its two Miaoli fabs during the second half of 2027, while the timeline for its international projects varies by facility.
