IBM, the Government of Canada, and the Government of Quebec announced agreements to develop the assembly, testing and packaging capabilities for semiconductor modules at IBM Canada’s plant in Bromont, Quebec. The agreements represent a combined investment of approximately $137 million (CAD$187 million).

The investment will advance research and development at the facility to support the packaging of different chip technologies. The agreements also allow for collaborations with Canadian-based enterprises to foster the development of a semiconductor ecosystem, IBM said in a statement.

IBM’s Bromont plant has operated in the region for 52 years. It transforms semiconductor components into microelectronic solutions.

Chip packaging, the process of connecting integrated circuits on a chip or circuit board, has become more complex as electronic devices have shrunk. As the semiconductor industry moves towards new methods of chip construction, advances in packaging will grow in importance, according to IBM.

[Image courtesy: IBM]