News: Suppliers
22 May 2025
KLA opens $138m R&D and manufacturing facility in Newport, Wales
Process control and inspection systems provider KLA Corp of Milpitas, CA, USA has opened its new $138m R&D and manufacturing center in Newport, Wales, UK, continuing the company’s history of regional investment. KLA’s Wales-based product division SPTS has been manufacturing semiconductor processing equipment in Wales since 1984, winning multiple Queen’s Awards for excellence in R&D and export.
KLA added the SPTS etch and deposition product lines to its portfolio in 2019, bringing together complementary technologies, solutions and services. Reflecting the portfolio strength and growing customer demand, the new 237,000ft2 Newport facility provides additional production and customer collaboration spaces, including 25,000ft2 of R&D cleanrooms, 35,000ft2 of manufacturing space and tool demo areas, all designed to support the development of semiconductor process technologies across advanced packaging, power devices, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), radio frequency (RF) and photonics sector technology.
“KLA brings together expertise in process and process control, providing customers with the breadth and depth they need to innovate and improve device performance,” says Dan Collins, site leader & general manager at KLA. “As industry drivers like AI increase demand for advanced chips, our expansion in Wales and strong product portfolio position us to meet that demand — building on our rich history and investing in new technology, talent and long-term community partnerships.”
With capacity for 750 staff, KLA’s new facility is expected to support the continued growth of the electronics ecosystem, serving as a center of engineering and manufacturing excellence, as well as an anchor for the larger community.
“We have a globally renowned compound semiconductor cluster here in Wales and the UK. Government recognizes that this industry is a key driver for economic growth, and the UK Government has recently announced nearly £5m to help build the talent pipeline,” says Jo Stevens, Secretary of State for Wales. “KLA’s investment in this new facility further strengthens our position as a leader in this vital and growing industry,” she adds. “Today's announcement is a celebration of KLA's commitment to innovation and to Wales as a growing hub of technological excellence and leadership.”
KLA to build new R&D and manufacturing facility for SPTS in Newport, Wales
