Apple and Amkor plan to build the largest outsourced advanced packaging facility in America, with Amkor packaging Apple silicon produced at the nearby TSMC fab.
The partnership between the two companies has existed for over a decade and packaged chips used across Apple’s product line. Now Apple is set to become the first and largest customer of Amkor’s manufacturing and packaging facility in Peoria, Arizona, fulfilling a mutual ambition to manufacture within the U.S.
In 2021, Apple committed to investing $430 billion into the United States economy over five years; its current investments in advanced manufacturing contribute to this intention. Apparently, the company is currently on track to meet its target through direct spend with American suppliers, data centre investments, capital expenditures within the country, and other domestic spend.
Amkor also plans to invest around $2 billion into the project and employ over 2,000 people when it is completed.
“Apple is deeply committed to the future of American manufacturing, and we’ll continue to expand our investment here in the United States,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “Apple silicon has unlocked new levels of performance for our users, enabling them to do things they could never do before, and we are thrilled that Apple silicon will soon be produced and packaged in Arizona.”
The announcement comes after Apple revealed that it would package its new Apple Watch line in downsized, fibre-based, label-free packaging, with ‘low-carbon’ transportation set to improve its delivery process. Apple plans to phase out plastics by 2025 and decarbonize its operations by 2030.
Fellow tech company Nokia also plans to transition into 60% smaller, 44% lighter, and 100% recyclable packaging for its Lightspan range of broadband access nodes by the end of 2023.
Meanwhile, Beontag plans to expand its own operations in North America by investing in a 200,000-square-foot industrial building dedicated to the production of its pressure-sensitive adhesives and smart tags.
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