Chinese appliance giant Gree Electric has announced significant progress in its semiconductor venture. The company's in-house developed silicon carbide (SiC) power chips have successfully expanded beyond household appliances and are now being used in new energy vehicles, industrial systems, and specialized applications. A key milestone is the chips' entry into the supply chains of automakers like BYD and Changan.
Gree's strategic move into chips is the result of over a decade of investment. The company has constructed a dedicated SiC chip factory that follows an IDM (Integrated Device Manufacturing) model, covering design, wafer production, and packaging/testing. The facility boasts an annual production capacity of 240,000 6-inch SiC wafers with a yield rate consistently above 99%. This "open foundry" operation not only supplies Gree's own needs—where 30% of chips in its air conditioners are now self-developed—but also serves external clients.
Gree's semiconductor division was built methodically, starting with the establishment of research institutes in 2015 and the founding of specialized IC companies in 2018 and 2022. The effort has culminated in a team of nearly 1,000 technical experts and a portfolio of nearly a thousand patents, establishing a solid technical foundation in the power semiconductor sector.
ICgoodFind's Insight
Gree's successful diversification into SiC chips, particularly for automotive use, demonstrates a strategic shift by a major manufacturer to control a critical component of the future energy and industrial landscape. It adds a credible new player to the domestic supply chain for a key enabling technology.
