High-end appliance maker Dyson Ltd yesterday said that it would open a new factory in Singapore to manufacture next-generation batteries, as well as new facilities elsewhere to boost its research into artificial intelligence (AI) and software development.
At the size of 53 basketball courts, Dyson said the new plant was expected to be fully operational by 2025 and would be its most significant investment in advanced manufacturing.
PROPRIETARY TECH
Photo courtesy of Dyson
The company said research teams had been working globally on proprietary new technology for batteries, which would be assembled in a “smart, digitally enabled environment.”
Dyson — famous for its bagless vacuum cleaners, among other gadgets — started its in-house battery program more than a decade ago, aiming to make them more sustainable and energy dense.
Besides the new plant, the Singapore-headquartered firm also announced plans to set up research and development (R&D) centers in the UK and the Philippines, all part of its ￡2.75 billion (US$3.4 billion) five-year investment plan.
The company did not specify how much the new battery plant would cost on its own.
FUTURE DRIVERS
The researchers at the new center in the Philippines would focus on AI and robotics, among other areas, and the firm said it intended to hire an additional 450 engineers.
The R&D center in Bristol, England, is expected to be “working on a pipeline of products that stretches 10 years into the future,” the electronics giant said.
“Software, connectivity, AI, and proprietary new technology batteries will power the next generation of Dyson technology,” founder James Dyson said.
Semiconductor shares in China surged yesterday after Reuters reported the US had ordered chipmaking giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) to halt shipments of advanced chips to Chinese customers, which investors believe could accelerate Beijing’s self-reliance efforts. TSMC yesterday started to suspend shipments of certain sophisticated chips to some Chinese clients after receiving a letter from the US Department of Commerce imposing export restrictions on those products, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing an unnamed source. The US imposed export restrictions on TSMC’s 7-nanometer or more advanced designs, Reuters reported. Investors figured that would encourage authorities to support China’s industry and bought shares
TECH WAR CONTINUES: The suspension of TSMC AI chips and GPUs would be a heavy blow to China’s chip designers and would affect its competitive edge Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, is reportedly to halt supply of artificial intelligence (AI) chips and graphics processing units (GPUs) made on 7-nanometer or more advanced process technologies from next week in order to comply with US Department of Commerce rules. TSMC has sent e-mails to its Chinese AI customers, informing them about the suspension starting on Monday, Chinese online news outlet Ijiwei.com (愛集微) reported yesterday. The US Department of Commerce has not formally unveiled further semiconductor measures against China yet. “TSMC does not comment on market rumors. TSMC is a law-abiding company and we are
FLEXIBLE: Taiwan can develop its own ground station equipment, and has highly competitive manufacturers and suppliers with diversified production, the MOEA said The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) yesterday disputed reports that suppliers to US-based Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) had been asked to move production out of Taiwan. Reuters had reported on Tuesday last week that Elon Musk-owned SpaceX had asked their manufacturers to produce outside of Taiwan given geopolitical risks and that at least one Taiwanese supplier had been pushed to relocate production to Vietnam. SpaceX’s requests place a renewed focus on the contentious relationship Musk has had with Taiwan, especially after he said last year that Taiwan is an “integral part” of China, sparking sharp criticism from Taiwanese authorities. The ministry said
US President Joe Biden’s administration is racing to complete CHIPS and Science Act agreements with companies such as Intel Corp and Samsung Electronics Co, aiming to shore up one of its signature initiatives before US president-elect Donald Trump enters the White House. The US Department of Commerce has allocated more than 90 percent of the US$39 billion in grants under the act, a landmark law enacted in 2022 designed to rebuild the domestic chip industry. However, the agency has only announced one binding agreement so far. The next two months would prove critical for more than 20 companies still in the process
RSS