It will be fully operation end-2026 or early 2027; aims to serve customers in Singapore, Malaysia and India
[SINGAPORE] Tekscend Photomask broke ground on its new Singapore manufacturing facility on Friday (Oct 31), as the Japanese semiconductor photomask supplier expands its regional operations to meet growing demand.
The facility is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026 or early 2027, and will focus on mature technology nodes of up to 22 nanometres (nm). It will create 60 jobs for a mix of local and foreign employees.
Chief executive Teruo Ninomiya said the facility will serve customers in Singapore, Malaysia and India. He noted that in Singapore, semiconductor processing is expected to continue strengthening, and the sector “will continue to play a pivotal role as a strategic technology that enhances our daily lives”.
Tekscend is a global leader in photomasks – precision components that serve as templates to transfer circuit patterns onto silicon wafers during the chip fabrication process.
In an interview with The Business Times, executives Jun Kotani, Takashi Tomita and Satoshi Sugiyama said the company purchased an existing plant in Tampines to save construction time.
The facility was acquired with a mix of proceeds, including from the company’s initial public offering (IPO) in October. Tekscend did not disclose the investment amount.
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
The executives said part of the motivation for establishing the Singapore facility was that its customers were growing their presence in the city-state, making local production more strategic.
Tekscend’s recent IPO on the Tokyo Stock Exchange at US$20 per share was Japan’s second-largest listing of 2025, raising US$1.04 billion. Japanese manufacturer Toppan remains the largest shareholder.
With the new Singapore plant, Tekscend will operate eight manufacturing facilities worldwide, including locations in Japan, Taiwan and Germany.
The company manufactures its most advanced photomasks – up to 2 nm nodes – in its plant in Asaka, Japan.
Supply chain resilience
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan said the new plant marks a “significant development” for Singapore’s semicon industry.
“The precision and reliability of photomasks will become more critical than ever, because artificial intelligence and electrification are driving demand for more powerful and energy efficient chips in everyday devices.”
Tekscend’s facility will also strengthen Singapore’s semicon ecosystem by ensuring that this key part of the supply chain is situated in Singapore.
“We all know that there’s now a higher risk of supply chain disruptions, and this facility will help to safeguard business continuity against such risks by giving Singapore-based foundries the option to source for photomasks locally and so you don’t have to be over-reliant on overseas imports. This helps to strengthen the resilience,” he said.
Tekscend president Jason Chou said the facility is “more than a production base”.
“It represents our company’s commitment to growing with the local community, to building a sustainable future together,” he said.
“We will actively hire and train local talent (for) jobs, collaborate with educational institutions and business to support industry development.”
