News: Suppliers
7 December 2023
CSconnected welcomes UK’s £160m semiconductor investment zone in South Wales
A recently announced investment zone in the UK is to focus on further strengthening the CSconnected semiconductor cluster based in and around South Wales.
Welsh Government Economy Minister Vaughan Gething recommended that Wales should be home to two of the 12 investment zones across the UK and that the South Wales zone should focus on strengthening the CSconnected semiconductor cluster.
In his Autumn Statement, Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt confirmed the go ahead for the £160m investment zone for semiconductors in South Wales.
Investment zones form part of the UK’s levelling-up strategy to focus on a small number of high-potential clusters linked to strong research, innovation and manufacturing capabilities. The South Wales semiconductor cluster is recognised as a key capability that can provide a path to stronger economic growth in Wales and the UK as a whole.
“Our dependence on semiconductors became abundantly clear during the COVID pandemic when demand for technologies enabled by our sector created severe shortages across many end-markets,” says CSconnected’s director Chris Meadows. “Specializing in compound semiconductor technologies, Wales plays a key role within this essential industry sector that is at the heart of our digital world from handsets to data centers, mobility and net-zero applications, healthcare, robotics and AI,” he adds.
“We look forward to continuing working closely with the Welsh Government and Cardiff Capital Region to design the Investment Zone interventions that will accelerate growth in prosperity, talent and economic value from our thriving semiconductor sector across our region and beyond,” says Wyn Meredith, chair of CSconnected’s management group.
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