Unisem’s GP2 Plan Tests Whether Advanced Packaging Demand Can Support New Capacity

Gopeng, Perak, 22 September 2026 – Unisem (M) Bhd is preparing another phase of expansion at its Gopeng semiconductor complex, with construction of the GP2 facility expected to begin in the fourth quarter of its 2026 financial year. The proposed RM1 billion to RM1.1 billion investment would extend the group into wafer bumping, probing and advanced wafer-level packaging. For investors, the plan offers exposure to a higher-value part of the chip supply chain, but its returns will depend on customer volumes and the pace at which expensive new equipment is used.

The expansion follows a period in which Unisem has been working to improve the loading of its existing GP1 facility. Research cited in the source places GP1 utilisation at roughly 60% to 70%, with insufficient production volume, rather than physical readiness, identified as the main constraint. That distinction matters. A completed plant contributes little to profit if tools sit idle, whereas more orders can lift earnings quickly once fixed operating costs are already in place. Investors should therefore focus on sustained throughput, not merely the announcement of another building.