AT&S and AEMtec strengthen Europe’s microchip industry

Austrian microelectronics manufacturer AT&S and AEMtec, a specialist in optoelectronics and microelectronics for the medical and semiconductor industries, have agreed a new long-term partnership: AT&S will supply AEMtec with state-of-the-art IC substrates from its new production facility in Leoben, which will be used in test equipment for the semiconductor industry. This cooperation between two technology market leaders is an important step towards a robust and sustainable semiconductor ecosystem for Europe.

Leoben, June 24, 2025 – Berlin-based AEMtec and AT&S in Leoben are pleased to announce a deepening of their existing business relationship. AT&S will manufacture highly complex IC substrates for AEMtec at its new research and production center in Styria, which will be used in test machines for high-performance microchips. The qualification process in Leoben is already in full swing and mass production will start in the fourth quarter of this year, demonstrating for the first time that Europe has the capacity for high-volume production of modern IC substrates for the semiconductor and microelectronics industries.

“We are very proud that we have established Europe’s first IC substrate and advanced packaging competence center. For the first time, we can now cover an important part of the supply chain for semiconductor production locally, offering short and secure transport routes and our cutting-edge technology. This was an important factor in AEMtec’s decision to choose AT&S as a long-term partner. We are looking forward to strengthening Europe’s microelectronics competence together and are confident that we will be able to expand this cooperation in the coming years,” says Ingolf Schröder, EVP BU Microelectronics at AT&S.

“In these challenging times for society as a whole, advanced technologies and new cooperation models are essential. We are delighted to have found a long-term partner in AT&S for the production of IC substrates in Europe. The close cooperation enables fast and location-oriented supply of our customers and thus accelerated market launches,” emphasizes Thomas John, Managing Director at AEMtec.

AT&S as a pioneer in Europe

The substrates and components that AT&S supplies to AEMtec are an essential part of the control systems of the modules that AEMtec produces for semiconductor test machines and can be manufactured in Europe for the first time thanks to the bold investments made in new research and production capacity in Leoben. This confirms that AT&S’s long-standing strategy of developing and building a modern microelectronics ecosystem in Europe is paying off. The company has been cooperating for years in several EU-funded projects with other European electronics and semiconductor manufacturers and leading research institutions to develop new technologies and integrate them into production.

AT&S has established itself in Austria and Europe as a driving force for an independent, local high-tech industry and, in addition to expanding capacity in Asia, has carried out important modernization measures at the Leoben Hinterberg site in particular. These innovations and the improved network of local partners have contributed significantly to revitalize Europe’s microelectronics strategy. AT&S’s new IC substrate competence center has benefited as part of the large-scale funding initiatives “Important Projects of Common European Interest” (IPCEI). The current uncertain geopolitical environment will further strengthen European efforts to achieve independence in key technologies of the future, and AT&S is ready to play an active role in shaping the expansion of the microelectronics ecosystem with a growing and robust network of reliable partners.

AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft – Advanced Technologies & Solutions
AT&S is a leading global manufacturer of high-end IC substrates and printed circuit boards. AT&S industrializes leading-edge technologies for its core business segments Mobile Devices & Substrates, Automotive & Aerospace, Industrial and Medical and high-performance computing for VR and AI applications. AT&S has a global presence with production sites in Austria (Leoben, Fehring) as well as plants in India (Nanjangud) and China (Shanghai, Chongqing). A new high-end production site for IC substrates has been established in Malaysia (Kulim). In Leoben, a European competence center for R&D and IC substrate production had been built and was officially opened in June 2025. Both sites started production in the financial year 2024/25. The company currently employs 13,000 people.

Media download: In the AT&S media portal https://ats.canto.de/v/press you will find constantly updated picture material on AT&S.

AEMtec – Europe’s expertise in customized advanced packaging

AEMtec is one of the world’s leading specialists in the development and production of complex microelectronic and optoelectronic modules through to complete system integration. The broad technology portfolio comprises wafer back-end services including wafer test, chip on board, flip chip, 3D integration and opto packaging. AEMtec convinces with complex and reliable solutions in the field of miniaturization. The comprehensive range of services includes design and development, industrialization, qualification, prototyping (NPI), testing, wafer and frame probing, series production as well as supply chain management and after sales services. Customers from the medical, semicon, industrial, datacom, aerospace and defense sectors value AEMtec’s expertise in advanced packaging. www.AEMtec.com