Semiconductor Manufacturing Is Expanding. Capability Must Keep Pace.
As investment expands semiconductor capacity globally, filtration and separation capabilities must evolve to support reliable production at scale.
Oct, 2026
The scale of investment flowing into semiconductor manufacturing is remarkable. Under a U.S.-Japan initiative providing up to $21 billion in funding, GlobalFoundries will serve as the technology provider and operator of two new facilities in Malta, New York. The announcement offers the latest proof point, with another 300-millimeter fab scheduled to come online in 2029.
Investments of this scale are significant. But adding manufacturing capacity is only part of the equation.
As semiconductor manufacturing capacity expands, manufacturers are also navigating increasingly complex processes and higher expectations for purity, quality and consistency. For the companies supporting those fabs, the challenge is not simply enabling more production. It’s helping manufacturers achieve the process performance required to produce reliably at scale.
Greater complexity puts greater emphasis on process control
Contamination control has always been essential to semiconductor manufacturing. But as manufacturing requirements become more demanding, the demand on filtration and purification also increases and the challenge extends beyond removing particles. Different processes require more precise control of metals, organics and other contaminants, placing greater emphasis on targeted filtration and purification approaches.
Filtration and purification can no longer serve simply as supporting components; they must evolve alongside the manufacturing processes.
Innovation has to happen closer to the customer
Meeting these requirements will also demand closer collaboration across the semiconductor value chain. New filtration and purification technologies have to address specific process challenges. That requires a deep understanding of the application, which contaminants manufacturers must control and the performance they need as new processes move toward high-volume production.
At Pall, we believe the strongest solutions combine materials science and expertise in filtration and purification with close customer collaboration. This collaborative approach allows technology development to begin with the manufacturing challenge rather than the product. It is also why continued investment in capabilities such as advanced purification, new filtration media, metrology and application testing will become increasingly important as the industry evolves.
Capacity and capability must advance together
Behind every new manufacturing facility, an ecosystem of technologies, suppliers and expertise turns that investment into consistent, reliable production. As capacity grows and manufacturing processes evolve, the supporting ecosystem must keep pace.
For Pall, that means continuing to push the boundaries of filtration and purification while working closely with customers on the contamination challenges that matter most to their processes.
Expanding semiconductor manufacturing will require more than additional capacity. It will require the capabilities to translate that capacity into reliable performance.