Project completed three months ahead of schedule, supporting one of Europe’s most significant semiconductor manufacturing expansions
Gradiant, a global leader in advanced water and wastewater solutions, today announced the successful completion of its work for a major new semiconductor manufacturing facility in Dresden, strengthening Europe’s capacity to produce the technologies powering an increasingly digital and electrified world.
Representing an investment of approximately €5 billion, the new facility is one of Germany’s largest industrial projects and a significant expansion within Silicon Saxony, Europe’s leading semiconductor cluster. The project doubles manufacturing capacity at the customer’s Dresden site and is expected to create approximately 1,000 highly skilled jobs.
The project is supported by approximately €1 billion in public funding through programs including the European Chips Act and the Important Project of Common European Interest, or IPCEI. The investment will strengthen European semiconductor supply chains and improve the resilience of industries that depend on advanced chips.
Built for production on 300-millimeter wafers, the facility will manufacture power semiconductors and analog and mixed-signal technologies. These components are essential to AI data centers, electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, power grids, and industrial applications.
Gradiant supplied mission-critical ultrapure water and water recovery systems for the facility. The solutions are engineered to meet the stringent purity, reliability, and process consistency requirements of advanced semiconductor fabrication.
Water is used throughout wafer manufacturing and rinsing operations, where even trace contaminants can affect product quality and manufacturing yield. Gradiant’s systems help provide the stable and dependable water supply required for these highly sensitive production processes.
The rinse-water recovery systems supplied by Gradiant enable water from selected production processes to be captured and reused for appropriate applications within the facility. This supports more efficient resource use and strengthens the resilience of large-scale manufacturing operations.
The facility uses industrial water rather than drinking water for its operations, helping conserve valuable drinking water resources. Internal recycling processes allow production water to be reused multiple times, with a target water recycling rate of up to 45% by 2033.
Gradiant completed its project scope three months ahead of schedule. The accelerated delivery reflects close coordination among Gradiant, the customer, and the broader project team, as well as Gradiant’s ability to execute complex infrastructure projects under the semiconductor industry’s rigorous quality, safety, and scheduling requirements.
“Semiconductors are the foundation of the AI economy, but their potential is ultimately constrained by the availability of water,” said Prakash Govindan, CEO of Gradiant. “Gradiant has spent more than a decade building the technologies and operating expertise required to make water certain for the world’s most advanced industries. This project demonstrates how we help manufacturers scale with confidence by delivering the purity, reliability, and water efficiency required for the next era of technology.”
Philipp Sausele, Managing Director of Gradiant Europe, represented the company at the facility’s official inauguration in Dresden earlier this month. “We are proud to support a project that strengthens Europe’s semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and enables a more digital and energy-efficient future,” said Sausele. “Completing our work ahead of schedule demonstrates the technical expertise of our teams and the strength of our collaboration with the customer and project partners.”
The successful delivery further strengthens Gradiant’s position as a trusted water partner for semiconductor manufacturers worldwide. Across greenfield facilities, manufacturing expansions, and operations optimization, Gradiant helps customers improve water efficiency, production resilience, and environmental performance.
