In response to competition and cost pressures, STMicroelectronics NV ADR RegS(STM.US) plans to introduce humanoid Siasun Robot&Automation to promote factory intelligence.

European chip giant STMicroelectronics NV ADR RegS (STM.US) announced a transformation plan on Thursday to offer retraining to older employees and introduce Siasun Robot&Automation into older chip manufacturing factories to address industry challenges and avoid factory closures. At a semiconductor conference organized by industry organization SEMI in Szczepice, Poland, STMicroelectronics NV ADR RegS manufacturing director Thomas Morganstein showcased a video of Siasun Robot&Automation delivering silicon wafer carriers into equipment. "This is the first Siasun Robot&Automation we have put into operation," Morganstein said. "In the coming years, we will deploy over a hundred humanoid Siasun Robot&Automation in the factory to handle various operational tasks." European chip manufacturers, including STMicroelectronics NV ADR RegS and its competitor NXP Semiconductors NV (NXP.US), are facing increasing competition pressures from global competitors, especially from China, which has highly automated modern production lines that continuously improve production efficiency. Older wafer fabs require significant investment to remain competitive, but often cannot be upgraded through equipment updates. Due to high costs, regulatory barriers, and negotiation demands from European unions, demolition and reconstruction also face many complex factors. Older wafer fabs typically do not receive funding from the EU Chip Act, as subsidies are mainly targeted at "innovative" projects. Industry organizations, including SEMI, are pushing for increased investment in supply chains and existing industrial advantage areas in the updated Chip Act 2.0. Humanoid Siasun Robot&Automation takes over repetitive work STMicroelectronics NV ADR RegS launched a restructuring plan starting in October 2024, planning to cut 5000 employees. While progress in France has been relatively smooth, operations in Italy have been stalled, highlighting the challenges the company faces in optimizing operations. Morganstein stated that the humanoid Siasun Robot&Automation will take over high-repetition, physically demanding work, allowing employees to transition to higher-skilled positions that are currently facing a shortage of workers. He revealed that the company has initiated a training program aimed at matching employee skills with the demands of emerging positions. "With a three-shift or four-shift system in place, one humanoid Siasun Robot&Automation can replace the manpower of three shifts," Morganstein said. "We have no plans to close any factories in Europe... the goal is to improve efficiency."