French SOI (Silicon-on-Insulator) wafer maker Soitec has decided to set up a 12-inch wafer foundry in Singapore with an investment of US$448 million. Construction of this facility, dubbed Fab 3, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2007 and the plant is projected to start production in mid-2008, with an annual capacity of one million units. This fab is Soitec's first production site in Asia and Soitec expects this move would improve its Asian presence.