Officially presented in Novara, the “Vulcan Project” is a €3.2 billion investment by Singapore-based multinational Silicon Box to build Europe’s first advanced packaging and semiconductor testing facility.
Backed by a €1.3 billion public intervention managed through Invitalia under the European Chips Act, the initiative will bring 1,600 direct, highly qualified jobs to Piedmont, with construction slated to begin in early 2027.
The big picture: A pillar for European technological sovereignty. Located in Agognate (Novara), the new facility represents a crucial milestone for national and European industrial strategies aiming to double the continent’s global market share by 2030.
- Frontier technology: Silicon Box brings to Europe a unique large-format panel process for integrating multiple chiplets into a single package, serving markets in artificial intelligence, supercomputing, electric mobility, and aerospace.
- European recognition: The project has already secured the Open EU Foundry designation from the European Commission under the Chips Act, confirming its strategic relevance for Europe’s technological autonomy.
What they’re saying:
- “Historic day. With this investment, Italy is a candidate to become a reference center for emerging technologies, ”said Adolfo Urso, Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy.
- “Silicon Box is the largest investment of an Asian multinational in Italy. It is a project that changes the connotations of our economy because it puts us in a scenario of innovation and modernity,” commented Alberto Cirio, President of the Piedmont Region.
- “Novara will be our home in Europe and we are proud that our first international expansion will be here and complete the entire chip production cycle in Europe,” added Dr. Byung Joon (BJ) Han, Co-founder and CEO of Silicon Box
Why it matters: Silicon Box’s landing in Novara — a strategic hub between Milan, Turin, and European transport corridors — goes beyond constructing a factory; it sparks a virtuous ecosystem binding advanced manufacturing with universities, research centers, and local SMEs.
- For Italy, the operation cements its role as a Mediterranean and continental hub for microchips, offering local talent new pathways in high-tech specialization and qualified employment.
(Photo: X, @mimit_gov)
