Russia's secretive chipmaker targets full production at new fab by 2028 — but hurdles remain

A little-known Russian chip manufacturer, NM-Tech, plans to bring its Fab-200 facility to full capacity by 2028, the company told CNews. The plant, located in Zelenograd, is being built on the site of the bankrupt Angstrem-T and is currently undergoing reconstruction and technical retooling.

Fab-200 is designed to produce microelectronics on 200-millimeter silicon wafers. According to a preliminary draft of Russia's new national project for electronics development, the plant's capacity will reach 15,000 wafers per month. NM-Tech has already mastered 250-nanometer and 130-nanometer chip manufacturing technologies, while a 90-nm process is under development.

The project is financed by VEB.RF, Russia's state development corporation. In August 2023, VEB.RF opened a credit line of 116.4 billion rubles for NM-Tech to purchase equipment, conduct commissioning, and launch production. The loan must be repaid by the end of 2027. According to the company's 2024 accounting notes, technology development costs totaled 14.99 billion rubles by the end of 2023.

Experts interviewed by CNews caution that the project's success hinges not only on equipment installation but also on the ability to maintain stable quality, consistent performance characteristics, and reliable service for imported machinery. Without addressing these issues, reaching full production capacity may prove challenging. The company has not disclosed specific details about its equipment suppliers or the exact timeline for reaching the 90-nm node.