Why Global Chip Giants Are Suddenly Moving to Malaysia
YT Chin, CEO of Silicon Connect, discusses his mission to establish Malaysia's first advanced packaging institute and build the country's capabilities in advanced semiconductor packaging technologies. With 20+ years at Intel and SanDisk, he's focusing on talent development, pilot line creation, and moving Malaysia from legacy to advanced packaging to capture a quarter of the global advanced packaging revenue by 2030.
Summary
YT Chin, founder and CEO of Silicon Connect, brings over 20 years of multinational experience from Intel and SanDisk to establish Malaysia's first advanced packaging institute. His startup focuses on enabling advanced packaging technology in Malaysia through the "three T's" - talent, technology, and trade. The company is working with the Malaysian government to create pilot lines and research centers, prioritizing RDL fan-out capabilities initially at wafer level, then moving to panel level packaging. Chin identifies talent as the biggest bottleneck, particularly the need to upskill engineers from legacy packaging to advanced packaging, and highlights the scarcity of advanced litho assembly skills in the region. He emphasizes the importance of Design for X (DFX) practices, advanced process control (APC), and what he calls "advanced copy exactly" methodology for scaling from pilot to production. Silicon Connect is developing a six-month Advanced Technology Master Program in partnership with government agencies to address the skills gap. The company's approach differs from typical academic-driven research centers by incorporating pragmatic, industry-experienced R&D professionals who can align technology with market needs. Chin envisions Malaysia capturing 25% of the global advanced packaging revenue stream, which he projects to reach $90 billion by 2030, representing a significant opportunity for the country's semiconductor ecosystem. He advocates for a collaborative approach summarized as "connect, collaborate, co-develop, create, and celebrate," emphasizing the need for pragmatic solutions rather than "pipe dreams" in building advanced packaging capabilities in emerging hubs.
Key Insights
- YT Chin argues that Malaysia's biggest bottleneck in advanced packaging is the 'three T's' - talent (especially upskilling from legacy to advanced packaging), technology (moving from legacy systems), and trade (attracting the right businesses to Malaysia)
- Chin developed a methodology called 'advanced copy exactly' which combines advanced process control (APC) with Intel's 'copy exactly' model to enable consistent pilot-to-production scaling and technology transfer
- At SanDisk, Chin's team worked with Japanese equipment suppliers as 'guinea pigs' for new automation technology, receiving access to cutting-edge equipment two years before its commercial launch
- Chin projects that Malaysia could capture 25% of the global advanced packaging revenue stream, which he expects to reach $90 billion by 2030, representing a major growth opportunity for the country
- He observes that advanced packaging has transformed from occupying just one slide out of ten in semiconductor presentations to being the dominant topic, with some claiming it's 'rescuing Moore's Law'
Topics
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