Foundry usage drops over 25%.............................
electronicstimes.com
The downcycle begins? Foundry usage drops over 25%
By Ian Cameron
Electronics Times
(03/09/01 13:39 p.m. GMT)
TSMC and UMC, two of the world's largest chip foundries, said yesterday (8 March) that their fabs are running at only 70 to 75% capacity, down by between a third and a quarter since the beginning of the year.
This latest indication of the current chip slowdown will fuel concerns that a full-on down cycle has begun, particularly when coupled with the latest gloomy comments from Intel and a series of reduced sales forecasts.
However, like many other chip players, both UMC and TSMC expect capacity to return to "normal levels" later in the year.
Chuck Byers, director of communications at TSMC North America, confirmed that current market conditions are hitting the foundries.
"We have gone from 105% capacity last quarter, which is running very high, to guidance of around 70%," he said.
Jim Ballingall, vice president of worldwide marketing at UMC, pointed to a similar trend.
"Our guidance at our investor conference a few weeks ago was that we see the IC industry as a whole down about 25% in revenue in Q1. We stated that we may do a little better than that.
"But, since Q4 was at 100% capacity utilization, with Q1 revenue down perhaps as much as 25%, it would follow that Q1 capacity utilisation could then be down about as much."
TSMC's Byers maintained that running a fab at 70% was still acceptable.
"The optimal place to run is around 91-96%. At that level, you can acquire market share. But at 70% we are still extremely, extremely viable," he said.
"It's not the best time for the semiconductor industry but it's not the end of the world either. We are looking at this as a kind of pause." |
