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Business and technology

IMEC nanoelectronics hub in Malaga will involve an investment of 615 million euros and become a reality in 2030

The Junta de Andalucía has handed over the designated land at the city's TechPark to the Spanish government, which invest 236m in the project

Monday, 20 January 2025, 14:09

The project to build a cutting-edge microchip research and manufacturing centre in Malaga received a decisive boost last Friday with the signing of the transfer of rights to the allocated site on Malaga's TechPark (51,229 square metres) from the Junta de Andalucía to central government. This plot is where IMEC will build its second manufacturing hub, the only one outside Belgium, where it is based. This company is a world leader in semiconductor research and development and has chosen the coity to open its first laboratory outside its headquarters in Leuven. Two fundamental details of this initiative "key to Europe's technological sovereignty", as the Minister for Digital Transformation Óscar López has described it, have also finally been announced: its total cost, which will be 615 million euros (500 million euros of which will be provided by the Spanish government), and the planned opening date, which is some time in 2030.

The signing of this transfer of land and other agreements linked to the project took place at an event held in an office building owned by Malaga TechPark, which is right next to the land where the headquarters of IMEC Spain will be built. Proof of the importance of what happened there on Friday was the presence of Junta president Juanma Moreno, two ministers from Madrid - the aforementioned Óscar López and Deputy PM María Jesús Montero, whose presence in Malaga for another event allowed her to join the meeting at the last minute, a Secretary of State and two regional ministers from the Junta (Carolina España and Rocío Blanco). Malaga city was represented by Mayor Francisco de la Torre and Rector for the University of Malaga (UMA) Teo López and over 100 representatives from other public and private institutions. For IMEC there was the Vice-president Jo de Boeck. There has been no recent event with such a concentration of governing bodies and dignitaries in Malaga.

The occasion merited it. After two years of working in the background, information being provided in dribs and drabs and a few doubts raised, IMEC (the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre) now has a plot of land, a budget, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and a definite timetable.

Together with the agreement for the transfer of the site made between the Junta and the Sociedad Española de Transformación Tecnológica (SETT), two other documents were also signed on Friday. Firstly, the Ministries for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service, and of Science, Innovation and Universities have signed with the Junta and Malaga city council an amendment to the general agreement signed in July 2024 to promote the project, updating the previous commitments made. The second was the signing of the MoU between IMEC and the Spanish government that sets conditions for both parties to meet the overall objective of the project.

María Jesús Montero: "500 million contributed by Spanish national government"

The headline figure was given by María Jesús Montero, who joined the event at the last minute in a 'canutazo' informal statement to media professionals organised minutes before the official call for the institutional act and signing of agreements. "There are 615 million euros of investment, that is to say, not a trivial amount, of which the Spanish government is contributing 500 million," she announced. "Malaga city council and the Andalusian regional government are making the land available to make it possible to erect this building, which we hope will be available from 2030 onwards."

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced three months ago that the first 105 million euros of those 500m had been committed to help this project materialise and that the monies were destined to pay for IMEC's "advisory work". Minister Óscar López gave details of the following items that will be used to advance the roadmap: "The government of Spain has committed another 9 million euros for the development of all the technical projects prior to the construction of the building. And an additional 227 million euros have been earmarked for the construction of the facilities." The aim, he added, is to be able to put the construction work out to tender in 2026.

In addition to providing most of the land (worth 10 million euros), the regional government will pay for most of the investment in equipment, amounting to 120 million euros. Then, once IMEC is up and running, the Junta will cover a third of the operating costs, according to Carolina España, regional minister of Economy. For its part Malaga city council has contributed a 4,565 square-metre plot of land to complete the area to be occupied by IMEC and has made a commitment to speeding up the project's urban planning process.

With this project, "Malaga becomes the technological capital of southern Europe", placing itself "at the forefront of innovation and production capacity" of semiconductors, key to chip manufacturing, stressed Deputy PM Montero, adding in the moment that "a giant step is taken to conquer the future" in Malaga TechPark, making it a "magnet for attracting technology companies and job creation." This manufacturing and R&D centre will generate 250 jobs in the initial stages, but there will be many more indirect jobs arising from what could be called the 'IMEC effect': there are already supplier companies or clients of the Belgian company interested in setting up in Malaga TechPark and the project, supported by all three levels of government together with the Leuven Institute, foresees the promotion of a whole ecosystem of start-ups and joint research projects with the UMA.

"Surely they do not fully visualise the importance of this project that we are promoting. Believe me, this project is different; it is of transcendental importance. It is surely the most important project in Europe to position Europe where it wants to be: to strengthen its strategic sovereignty and reduce its foreign dependence in an area that is increasingly sensitive and important, that of microelectronics", stated López.

The minister from Madrid referred to this project as "another step forward" in the Spanish government's commitment to "a digital revolution that combines competitiveness with social and territorial cohesion; a revolution based on public-private collaboration."

Juanma Moreno: "The great technological and innovative south of Europe"

Junta president Juanma Moreno said: "We are taking a strategic, decisive step, after the many we have taken, towards the achievement of a project that is tremendously exciting for Malaga and the whole of Andalucía, Spain and Europe. The setting up of a large IMEC innovation centre on Junta de Andalucía land is a great landmark moment. A Belgian company that is a world leader in semiconductor R&D and which could have chosen anywhere in the world to open its second hub, but it has chosen to come to Andalucía. And the choice is no coincidence, but the result of an ambitious commitment we have made to position Andalucía as the great technological and innovative south of Europe."

"This project represents a turning point for IMEC. For the first time in our history, we will operate a large facility outside Belgium through IMEC Spain. This step underlines our commitment to advancing innovation in Europe, fostering collaboration that transcends borders," said VP Jo de Boeck. "We will work with cutting-edge technology and industry standards, create new materials and innovative components; we will develop advanced systems. This facility will attract top talent from academia and industry. Our aim is to facilitate the transition from the lab to the factory, with a focus on sectors such as automotive, health and defence". Malaga, he added, is "a city with talent and leadership that will strengthen its role as a strategic centre. We want the impact to reach the whole region and the country, improving productivity and training the next generation of technological talent," stated the IMEC executive.

De la Torre: "It's a great opportunity for the city"

Malaga's mayor, Francisco de la Torre, highlighted the "great opportunity" that the arrival of IMEC represents for the city, not only for its productive fabric but also for the university. He views it as a project that is going to become a reality thanks to the "collaboration" between the governing bodies, also mentioning the city's contribution to the project: in addition to the land that has been handed over and the commitment to speed up the planning procedures, city hall is going to create an incubator dedicated to microelectronics projects to help "to create a complementary ecosystem to the one that exists in Leuven."

The mayor did not miss the opportunity to throw down a gauntlet to the ministers who attended the event with regard to the city's new auditorium, which the Ministry of Culture has been refusing to finance. "We have to continue this line of collaboration in other projects as well, such as in the cultural field. We are sure that we will succeed. Technology and culture are Malaga's two strengths, and how can we not offer good opera and concerts to those who come to work at the IMEC," he said, half in jest, half in earnest.

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surinenglish IMEC nanoelectronics hub in Malaga will involve an investment of 615 million euros and become a reality in 2030