GLS and APES Announce Advanced Semiconductor Packaging Partnership

FISHKILL, N.Y., Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Lakes Semiconductor (GLS) and Advanced Printed Electronic Solutions (APES) have entered a strategic partnership to launch a new initiative focused on advanced semiconductor packaging and heterogeneous integration. This collaboration will enable design-to-manufacturing services for rapid, low-through-high volume, and mass customization of GLS-fabricated semiconductor and sensor devices. As part of this initiative, the two companies will establish a joint research and development center that will begin operations at the APES lab in Fishkill, NY, with plans to transition to GLS facilities, where joint manufacturing operations are anticipated.

Integrated Technology and Manufacturing Capabilities

According to Dr. Richard Thurston, CEO of GLS, the partnership leverages both companies' technology portfolios by tightly integrating GLS's proprietary chip fabrication processes with advanced packaging and related electronics, all within a unified manufacturing workflow in each GLS- ChipForge™ unit. This approach aims to address the demand for domestic, cost-effective, end-to-end chip manufacturing.

Key enabling technologies include the GLS modular ChipForge™ semiconductor platform and the GLS proprietary Fab-as-a-Service ("FaaS™) model, and the APES suite of additive manufactured electronics (AME) solutions. Notably, APES's proprietary Matrix6D AME platform—a software-defined, AI-driven swarm factory—will play a central role. By integrating ChipForge™ semiconductors and sensor devices with APES's diverse AME platforms, the collaboration supports a broad spectrum of applications throughout the development lifecycle. This includes early concept design, prototyping, batch production, and large-scale manufacturing of basic die packages, multi-chiplet or sensor integrations, and more. These solutions accommodate various substrates, both rigid and flexible, and are adaptable to numerous shapes and sizes.

Dr. Rich Neill, CEO of APES, explained that the companies will be able to directly embed ChipForge™ -fabricated semiconductors and sensors into rigid or flexible 3D structural substrates, serving applications in autonomous vehicles, medical devices, robotics, electronic assemblies, and a wide range of commercial and defense products.

Implementation Plan and Future Outlook

The collaboration will commence immediately at the APES Fishkill, NY labs, with a planned transition to GLS facilities by the third quarter of 2026. Dr. Neill emphasized that utilizing a range of facilities for research, development, and manufacturing will foster an ideal ecosystem while supporting local economic and workforce development needs.

Dr. Thurston stated that the ultimate objective is to co-locate GLS and APES research and development, design services, chip manufacturing, and back-end package integration under one roof. Once this integrated model is validated, GLS intends to replicate and scale the innovative manufacturing blueprint to additional sites and international partners.

About Great Lakes Semiconductor
Great Lakes Semiconductor co-founded by Dr. Richard L. Thurston and Jim Bark, with its headquarters located in Fishkill, NY, USA. Once operational at our new site, GLS will become a fully integrated semiconductor company (IDM) and foundry focusing on developing world-class semiconductor fabrication facilities, front-end to back-end integration, and technology park ecosystem aimed at addressing critical needs in North America's semiconductor industry.

GLS initially will include research, design and development of chips, chip sets, and other mems/sensor devices; modular equipment and AME/3D packaging, and workforce development; establish a pocket fab for prototype and small-lot production and build a new, state-of-the-art full-scale chip manufacture at 200mm process technologies. In collaboration with its strategic partners, such as Japan's Neitas and Daikin, and co-located facilities with APES, GLS will focus on expanding and securing North America's semiconductor supply chain. To learn more, go to https://greatlakessemiconductor.com/.

About Advanced Printed Electronic Solutions
Advanced Printed Electronic Solutions (APES), founded by Dr. Rich Neill and headquartered in Fishkill, New York, is an advanced manufacturing company pioneering next-generation electronics production at the intersection of additive manufactured electronics (AME), precision automation, artificial intelligence, and software-defined factory systems. APES develops innovative manufacturing platforms and engineering solutions that enable the scalable production of high-performance electronic systems. Leveraging deep expertise in semiconductor packaging, heterogeneous integration, machine automation, and intelligent software orchestration, the company supports customers from early product concept through full manufacturing deployment.

In collaboration with industry and research partners, APES is advancing additive manufacturing technologies for semiconductor packaging and next-generation integration architectures. These technologies are designed to improve design flexibility, reduce system complexity, accelerate time-to-market, and enable more resilient and distributed manufacturing models across aerospace, defense, medical, industrial, and advanced computing markets. 

For more information, visit https://advpes.com or contact [email protected].

Media Contact:
Richard Neill, CEO of Advanced Printed Electronic Solutions
646-640-6869
[email protected]

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SOURCE Great Lakes Semiconductor and Advanced Printed Electronic Solutions