Merck Opens €20 Million Metrology and Inspection Site in France
The new building increases metrology and inspection capacity fivefold and supports chip manufacturers in the advanced packaging of AI chips.
Merck has opened its new metrology and inspection site in Saint-Ismier, France. With the 4,500 m² site and an investment of around €20 million, Merck is expanding its capabilities to develop and manufacture precise metrology and inspection systems. This will meet the growing demands of the semiconductor industry for high-performance chips driven by the rapid growth of AI applications. Located in the Grenoble region, an established semiconductor cluster in Europe, Merck is contributing to the strategic development of a resilient and more competitive European semiconductor ecosystem.
"More powerful computer chips depend not only on the further miniaturization of structures, but more and more on the architecture of chip systems. As chip designs become increasingly complex, modern chip systems can be rendered unusable by even the smallest errors. This makes quality assurance and reliability more challenging than ever," said Ben Hein, Member of the Executive Board of Merck and CEO Electronics. "Our expertise in metrology and inspection provides chip manufacturers with precise tools and solutions to realize further technological progress."
Paving the way for next-generation semiconductor innovations
The new building increases Merck's production capacity for metrology and inspection systems fivefold. These solutions are essential to ensure accuracy and defect detection in chip production and to support chip manufacturers in advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration. These 3D technologies for next-generation chip architectures bring memory and logic chips closer together through vertical stacking, improving the performance of chips while reducing their energy consumption.
Metrology systems measure critical chip manufacturing parameters such as depths, step heights and layer thicknesses and enable real-time adjustments that improve process control. Inspection systems detect a wide range of defect types to ensure the highest quality standards. Together, these technologies increase manufacturing yields, reduce production costs and shorten time-to-market for next-generation semiconductor innovations.
Driving sustainable growth
Merck's Electronics business sector is a key driver of technology roadmaps and offers one of the broadest portfolios of materials and equipment for the semiconductor industry. With the acquisition of Unity-SC, based in Montbonnot-Saint-Martin near Grenoble, France, in October 2024, Merck expanded its expertise in optical technologies. With more than 100 employees at the new site - from production to research and development - and plans to create around 100 additional highly skilled engineering positions over the next four years, Merck is driving the convergence of optics and semiconductors to support next-generation technologies. This enables advanced chip systems for AI, high-performance computing (HPC) and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) applications and underpins the profitable growth trajectory of Merck's Electronics business sector.
The site in Saint-Ismier exemplifies Merck's commitment to sustainability. It has a straw-insulated timber construction, a hermetic concrete foundation and photovoltaic modules on the roof and parking canopies to generate renewable energy, which cover around 40% of the site's energy requirements. Inside, bright inner courtyards, adjustable sun protection elements and temperature-controlled underfloor heating ensure an energy-efficient and modern workplace.
