EMD Electronics, the North American electronics business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has opened a 38,000-square-foot research and development facility in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, expanding its capabilities to develop and scale materials for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.
The new facility is designed to support materials development from early-stage research through scale-up and technology transfer. The investment comes as semiconductor manufacturers face increasingly complex device architectures and rising performance requirements, particularly as artificial intelligence drives demand for more advanced chips.
Eight Laboratories Target Materials Development
The Wisconsin facility includes eight purpose-built laboratories covering key stages of the product development lifecycle. These include discovery, development, qualification, analytical development, purification, packaging and hazard testing.
By combining research, scale-up and technology transfer capabilities at one site, EMD Electronics aims to work more closely with semiconductor customers as they develop new manufacturing processes and materials.
Benjamin Hein, member of the Executive Board and CEO of EMD Electronics, said the investment reflects the company’s focus on developing capabilities alongside semiconductor customers.
Bing Han, executive vice president and head of Thin Films at EMD Electronics, said the semiconductor industry increasingly requires integrated approaches that combine materials discovery, process expertise and manufacturing scale-up.
The new facility is intended to provide those capabilities in a single location, allowing the company to move materials from laboratory development toward commercial production more efficiently.
AI Adds Pressure for Materials Innovation
Materials have become an increasingly important part of semiconductor development as chip architectures become more sophisticated.
The growth of AI computing is adding to those demands, with semiconductor manufacturers seeking higher performance and greater efficiency from increasingly complex devices. Advanced materials are required across different stages of chip manufacturing, including thin films and other processes that influence device performance.
EMD Electronics said the Wisconsin facility will allow it to respond more quickly to changing technology roadmaps and local customer requirements.
The company’s investment also expands its U.S. research footprint at a time when semiconductor manufacturers and suppliers are increasing domestic capacity and seeking more resilient supply chains.
Wisconsin Supports Expansion
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is collaborating with EMD Electronics on the expansion, supporting investment and job creation in the state.
John W. Miller, secretary and CEO of WEDC, said the project demonstrates the role Wisconsin’s manufacturing workforce and industrial base can play in the semiconductor sector.
The facility is also designed with sustainability considerations. It is among EMD Electronics’ laboratories powered by renewable energy, and the company is targeting LEED Gold certification for the site.
The combination of advanced research infrastructure and renewable power reflects the company’s broader effort to expand semiconductor capabilities while limiting the environmental impact of its operations.
Part of $200 Million U.S. Investment
The Sheboygan Falls facility forms part of a broader $200 million investment by EMD Electronics in its U.S. semiconductor operations across three states.
The program includes a further expansion of the Sheboygan Falls site scheduled for completion in 2027, along with projects recently completed in Carlsbad, California, and Catoosa, Oklahoma.
The U.S. program is itself part of a $1 billion, five-year investment plan announced by Merck KGaA in 2021 to strengthen its innovation and manufacturing capabilities in the United States.
