Three 8-inch SiC projects have made new progress

Bosch:

The 8-inch SiC production line is about to enter mass production

On February 25th, according to Nikkei Technology, Ralf Bornefeld, Senior Vice President of Power Semiconductor and Module Engineering at Bosch Automotive Electronics, revealed that they are conducting large-scale production of second-generation trench gate silicon carbide MOSFETs at their production base in Reutlingen, Germany. The 8-inch SiC production base in Rosville, California will begin mass production in mid-2026.

In December 2024, the US Department of Commerce reached a preliminary agreement with Bosch Group to provide up to $225 million (approximately RMB 1.638 billion) in subsidies and approximately $350 million (approximately RMB 2.548 billion) in proposed government loans for the renovation and capacity enhancement of silicon carbide power semiconductor factories. With this funding, Bosch Group will renovate its 8-inch silicon wafer fab located in Rosville, California, to build a silicon carbide wafer production line, and plans to produce the first batch of 8-inch silicon carbide chips by 2026.

Nowadays, Bosch is accelerating the research and production process of silicon carbide and gallium nitride power semiconductors. According to the plan, starting from 2027, Bosch will promote the upgrading of SiC products at a frequency of approximately once every two years, and plans to commercialize SiC superlattice technology by 2031. In addition, they will also strive to commercialize vertical gallium nitride technology.

Zhejiang Jingrui:

Malaysia factory capped

On February 26th, according to Penang media "Buletin Mutiara", Zhejiang Jingrui's new manufacturing plant in Malaysia has achieved structural topping out. After the completion of the first phase of the project, the focus will be on enhancing the large-scale supply capacity of 8-inch silicon carbide substrates, which is expected to achieve an efficient production capacity of 240000 pieces per year to meet the needs of third-generation semiconductor applications.

The Zhejiang base and the Penang base in Malaysia are constructed by Zhejiang Jingrui, a subsidiary of Jingsheng Electromechanical, mainly responsible for substrate processing. In July 2025, Ningxia Chuangsheng New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Jingsheng Electromechanical, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its annual production of 600000 8-inch silicon carbide substrate wafers and supporting crystal project, which will form a strategic linkage and production capacity synergy between "international and domestic".

Hong Kong Microelectronics Research Institute:

8-inch SiC pilot line to be put into operation within the year

Recently, the Hong Kong government released the "2026-27 Fiscal Year Government Budget" announcement, revealing that the pilot line for the development and trial production of third-generation semiconductor chip technology at the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research Institute will be put into operation within the year, which is expected to accelerate local chip development and industrial upgrading.

The announcement further mentioned that the Hong Kong government's "New Industrial Acceleration Plan" has supported two companies developing semiconductor chip technology and equipment, with a total investment of over 1.5 billion yuan.

According to a previous report by "Experts Say Three and a Half Generations", in March 2025, the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute (MRDI) began setting up two 8-inch third-generation semiconductor pilot lines, responsible for the research and production of silicon carbide and gallium nitride, respectively. The original plan was to complete installation and commissioning by 2025.

According to data, the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research Institute (MRDI) was established in September 2024 with a construction fund of HKD 2.838 billion (approximately RMB 2.64 billion), sourced from the Innovation and Technology Fund approved by the Finance Committee of the Hong Kong Legislative Council. Among them, 2.478 billion yuan (approximately 2.3 billion RMB) will be used to establish a pilot line, and the remaining funds will be for operating expenses within 5 years.

In terms of business, the research institute focuses on the research and development of third-generation semiconductors, including silicon carbide and gallium nitride. It plans to set up a pilot line platform at the Yuen Long Microelectronics Center to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in solving research and development pain points, conducting trial production, and promoting the industrialization of scientific research achievements.