European Chipmaker Plans Robot Workers to Save Jobs at Manufacturing Plants

STMicroelectronics announced a new strategy to introduce over 100 humanoid robots at its semiconductor facilities to handle repetitive tasks while retraining human workers for higher-skilled positions. The European chip manufacturer hopes this approach will help modernize aging factories and avoid plant closures amid increasing competition from automated facilities in China.

A major European semiconductor company has announced an innovative approach to modernizing its manufacturing operations by introducing humanoid robots while simultaneously retraining its workforce, rather than shutting down older facilities.

STMicroelectronics revealed its strategy during a semiconductor industry conference held Thursday in Sopot, Poland, organized by the trade group SEMI. Thomas Morgenstern, who oversees manufacturing operations for STMicro, demonstrated the company’s vision by showing footage of a robotic worker handling silicon wafer carriers.

“This is the first one we have,” Morgenstern explained. “In the next couple of years, we are talking about numbers beyond one hundred humanoids doing jobs in our facilities.”

The initiative comes as European semiconductor manufacturers like STMicro and competitor NXP confront intensifying competition from global rivals, especially Chinese companies operating state-of-the-art automated production facilities that deliver superior efficiency.

Legacy chip manufacturing facilities, commonly called “fabs” in the industry, need substantial capital investment to remain competitive, yet many cannot accommodate newer equipment. Demolishing and reconstructing these plants presents complex challenges including steep costs, regulatory obstacles, and labor union negotiations across Europe.

Current EU Chips Act subsidies typically support only cutting-edge “first-of-a-kind” initiatives, leaving older manufacturing sites without funding eligibility. However, industry organizations like SEMI are advocating for expanded investment in existing supply chains and established industrial capabilities through a potential Chips Act 2.0.

STMicroelectronics launched a major restructuring effort in October 2024 involving the planned reduction of 5,000 positions. While the company has made headway with this initiative in France, similar efforts have encountered obstacles in Italy, underscoring the operational challenges facing the semiconductor manufacturer.

According to Morgenstern, the humanoid robots will handle routine and physically intensive work, enabling human employees to transition into more specialized positions where the company faces staffing shortages. The organization has initiated comprehensive training programs to prepare workers for these evolving job requirements.

“If you have a three or four-shift system, one humanoid can replace three out of four shifts,” Morgenstern told Reuters. “We don’t want to close any facility in Europe … the goal is to increase efficiency.”