GES Vietnam to open new tech centre

Global Equipment Services Corp. (GES) is set to break ground on a new technology centre in Vietnam, underscoring the rapid development of the country's electronics industry. The semiconductor support vendor said it received permit to build the facility last week.

GES Vietnam plans to spend about Rs.146.92 crore ($36 million) to construct the manufacturing and training centre, which will rise at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) in the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, also soon to be home to Intel Corp.'s largest assembly and test plant.

The GES facility will be operational by September 2008 and will employ some 500 local engineers.

The 6,000sqm centre will perform a variety of functions, including upgrading and design modification for semiconductor and flat-panel manufacturing equipment and training engineers to service equipment in other locations.

Marty Mason, GES executive VP, told EE Times that the company would only occupy part of the facility; it plans to lease out space to other firms.

The company is expecting a solid customer base in Vietnam and at the high-tech zone as more investors set up shop there. Renesas and Jabil Circuit are among the other companies planning new facilities in the zone.

"Although infrastructure is just beginning to develop, it won't be long with a customer like Intel driving the schedule for required functionality," Mason said. "There are already several factories up and running in the SHTP, including device manufacturers and technology developers. We would expect Vietnam to follow a similar model to China in opening up more electronics assembly and manufacturing first, and then the semiconductor production will follow to supply the content."

- Jonathan Hopfner
EE Times