To the Future:
Taiwan's microchip makers will invest US$79.2 billion in wafer fab and testing facilities in the next 13 years, a move likely to secure Taiwan's top chip supplier status in the world, officials said on Friday.
Projects under planning or being built at Taiwan's two major
science-based industrial parks include wafer fabrication,
packaging and testing plants, the Industrial Development Bureau
said.
Bureau officials said top chipmaker United Microelectronics
Corp <2303.TW> would pour US$18.8 billion in the next decade to
build two eight-inch wafer plants and five 12-inch wafer plants.
United Microelectronics' rival Taiwan Semiconductor
Manufacturing Corp <2330.TW> will invest US$14.5 billion to set
up one eight-inch and five 12-inch wafer plants in the next
decade, the officials said.
Acer Semiconductor, a former venture between Acer Inc.
<2306.TW> and U.S. computer maker Texas Instruments <TXN.N> now
under Acer's full control, will invest US$9 billion in three
12-inch wafer plants in 10 years.
Macronix International <2337.TW> will invest US$7.2 billion
to set up between two and three 12-inch wafer plants in the next
decade.
A.S.E <2312.TW> will pour in US$11.9 billion to build a
number of testing and packaging plants over the next 13 years,
the officials said.
Winbond <2344.TW> will build one eight-inch and two 12-inch
plants at US$5.8 billion over 10 years, while Mosel Vitelic
<2342.TW> will invest US$3.6 billion in one 12-inch plant and
one testing/packaging plant.
Nan Ya Plastics <1303.TW> will invest US$3.6 billion in an
eight-inch and two 12-inch plants, while Powerchip <5346.TWO>
will invest US$1.2 billion in a 12-inch plant, the officials
said.
Latest figures compiled by the U.S.-based Semiconductor
Equipment and Materials International showed that the industry's
investment ratio is far larger in Taiwan than in the United
States, Japan and South Korea.
For every US$100 in earnings, Taiwan plans to spend $110 in
investment, compared to $60 in South Korea and just $22 in Japan
and $21 in the United States, the data show.
infobeat.com
This is why I am holding WFR for the long term and through the 300mm (12 inch) transition.
Tom |
