Ireland’s 14 semiconductor Companies in 2025
Pharmaceuticals and semiconductors alone account for around three-quarters of bilateral trade.
As 2025 draws to a close and businesses look ahead to the year beyond, a series of pressing questions is shaping boardroom agendas and strategy sessions for 2026. How leaders respond may determine not just short-term performance, but their long-term resilience in an increasingly volatile global economy.
At the top of the list are tariffs. The trade turbulence triggered by Washington shows little sign of easing, with many bracing for the next move in what has become known as President Trump’s “tariff game”. Throughout 2025, levies have disrupted supply chains and kept executives awake at night, forcing companies to rethink sourcing, production locations and financing as long-standing trade rules are rewritten.
For Irish exporters, the impact is already clear. A 15% US import tariff — a steep rise from the effective 1% rate that applied before April 2025 — is expected to continue squeezing margins, particularly in pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and drinks such as whiskey. With demand softening, exports to the US face mounting pressure.
Ireland is widely seen as the EU economy most exposed to this shift, given its heavy reliance on US markets and investment. Pharmaceuticals and semiconductors alone account for around three-quarters of bilateral trade. While these sectors are currently covered by the 15% rate, uncertainty remains as US Section 232 investigations could yet impose tougher measures on national security grounds.
Another defining challenge is the global race for artificial intelligence leadership. US tech giants with major Irish operations — including Google, Meta, Microsoft, Oracle and Apple — are investing billions to expand AI capabilities, driving a surge in demand for data centre capacity. But Ireland’s electricity grid is struggling to keep pace.
Minister of State Alan Dillon has said multi-billion-euro upgrades are planned between 2026 and 2030, yet the critical question is whether this infrastructure can be delivered in time. Delays could prompt multinationals to look elsewhere, while Irish SMEs risk seeing their own AI investments undermined if the supporting ecosystem fails to materialise.
Cybersecurity is also rising fast up the risk register. Healthcare, manufacturing and financial services remain prime targets, while geopolitical tensions have heightened threats to critical infrastructure. The World Economic Forum now ranks AI-enabled cyberattacks, deepfakes and synthetic identities among the most severe near-term risks. For executives, protecting systems from disruption — and the reputational and commercial fallout that follows — is becoming as vital as any growth strategy.
Finally, there is the question of sustainability. After a year marked by contradictions — from a renewed US push for fossil fuel production to softened EU timelines on emissions — businesses are reassessing how firmly ESG still sits on their agendas. While Europe continues to champion decarbonisation and circular economy goals, shifting global politics and economic pressures may test corporate resolve.
Sustainability may remain “a thing” in 2026, but the next two years could prove decisive in determining whether climate and ESG commitments endure amid tariffs, tech upheaval and geopolitical uncertainty.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)
Advanced Micro Devices’ (AMD) Irish site, formerly operated by Xilinx, was first established in 1994 with a focus on manufacturing, operations support, engineering and administration services.
AMD acquired Xilinx for $35bn in 2022, making Ireland home to one of AMD’s largest R&D sites in Europe. In 2023, the US semiconductor giant announced plans to invest up to $135m in Ireland over four years, set to create almost 300 new jobs at the site.
Analog Devices
Having been founded in 1965, Analog Devices set up shop in Ireland in 1976, marking one of the earliest signals that Ireland could be a powerhouse in this industry.
Analog Devices employs more than 1,300 people in Ireland at its manufacturing, design and R&D campus in Limerick. The company also has a design facility in Cork with more than 100 engineers. In 2023, the company announced 600 new jobs at its Limerick facility as part of a €630m investment.
Applied Materials
Founded in 1967, Applied Materials supplies equipment, services and software for the manufacture of semiconductor chips. In Ireland, Applied Materials arrived in the 1990s and now operates from two locations in the vicinity of Dublin, Leixlip and Maynooth.
As well as being part of Ireland’s strong semiconductor ecosystem, the company also teamed up with the SSPC Research Ireland Centre for Pharmaceuticals to help develop materials engineering solutions to help solve critical drug development challenges.
ASML
Dutch company ASML is one of the semiconductor industry’s biggest suppliers. Founded in the Netherlands in 1984, the company now has more than 42,000 employees worldwide.
The company develops technology for printing minute patterns on silicon wafers in semiconductors and operates an outpost in Maynooth where it serves Intel almost exclusively.
Broadcom
US semiconductor giant Broadcom has a significant presence in Cork, following its acquisition of VMware in 2023. The sale marked one of the largest in tech history, with a deal worth $69bn.
However, while the company had an Irish workforce of around 1,000, most of which was based in Cork, VMware by Broadcom announced more than 360 redundancies at its Ballincollig site following the acquisition.
Infineon
Infineon Technologies is Germany’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, having spun out from Siemens in 1999. The company established its European customer logistic management office in Dublin in 2003 and has since expanded its R&D presence in both Dublin and Cork.
Last year, the company announced the creation of more than 100 engineering jobs across both sites as part of an expansion, bringing the total headcount in the country to more than 300.
Intel
One of the original heavy hitters, Intel settled in Ireland with a wafer fab in 1989. More than 30 years later, the company has invested approximately €30bn in existing and planned funds for Ireland and Leixlip remains a critical location for the tech company.
The company announced a pan-European investment in 2022, which included Ireland, and in 2023, the Leixlip facility hit an important milestone when it began running its “First Full Loop” of silicon. Last year, the company agreed to sell a 49pc stake in its Fab 34 chip plant in Leixlip to investment firm Apollo Global Management as part of an effort to expand its chip manufacturing facilities while maintaining a 51pc controlling interest in the joint venture.
KLA
Founded in the 1970s, KLA makes wafer fab equipment for the semiconductor industry and has a headquarters in California and several offices around the world, including a site in Dublin where it focuses on customer service engineering.
Lam Research
Lam Research is another supplier of wafer-fabrication equipment which was founded in 1980 by David K Lam, a former employee of Xerox, HP and Texas Instruments. The company also invests in semiconductor start-ups through its Lam Capital Venture competition.
Lam Research has several locations around the world, including two in Ireland: one in Celbridge, Co Kildare and one in Dublin.
Microchip Technology
Arizona-headquartered tech company Microchip Technology provides embedded control applications and semiconductors.
The company has had a presence in Ireland for about 20 years, with sites in Cork, Clare and Dublin. In February 2021, the company announced a $20m investment in a new development centre in Cork, creating 200 jobs. Specifically, it sought engineers for integrated circuit design and testing, hardware and software system design and applications development.
Qualcomm
California-headquartered company Qualcomm first established its presence in Cork in 2013. In the years since, it has invested heavily in its Irish sites, including its subsidiary, QT Technologies Ireland.
In 2020, Qualcomm announced plans to invest €78m to develop the Cork R&D facility. The company said it currently employs hundreds of people in the county. In 2023, the company expanded its R&D facility in Cork city with a $127m investment.
Onsemi
Onsemi, also known as ON Semiconductor, is a US sensor developer, which acquired Cork-based start-up SensL in 2018. SensL, which was involved in EIRSAT-1, Ireland’s first satellite, established a Cork Design Centre in 2004, which is now under the Onsemi name. Onsemi also established a Limerick Design Centre in 2008, prior to the SensL acquisition.
Most recently, Onsemi engineers created cutting-edge space technology that headed to space as part of the historic Proba-3 mission to unlock the secrets of the sun.
Synopsys
Chip design software maker Synopsys is one of the world leaders in electronic design automation systems and was recently given the green light from the EU to acquire software provider Ansys in a $35bn deal.
The company boasts a strong engineering team in Ireland and is currently looking for UI engineers, digital design engineers and R&D engineers.
TEL
Tokyo Electron Ltd (TEL) is a Japanese electronics and semiconductor company founded in 1963. The company is the purveyor of semiconductor and flat panel display production equipment.
Its subsidiary, Tokyo Electron Europe, acquired Dublin-based Magnetic Solutions in 2012, giving it an Irish presence.
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