Industry is riding 300mm wave toward recovery

July 3, 2003 – An increasing number of 300mm fabs in use and being built is helping to drive recovery of the semiconductor industry, according to a new report from Strategic Marketing Associates (SMA).

Five 300mm wafer fabs have opened in 2003, bringing the total number of 300mm fabs to 22, with eight more scheduled to begin production this year. “As these new fabs ramp, they will buy equipment and we predict, push up capital spending for the first time since 2000,” said SMA president George Burns.

The SMA’s July World Fab Watch report also shines a spotlight on Japan, whose semiconductor industry is undergoing a revival thanks to fab closures, consolidations, and transferal of ownerships. Burns cited the example of Renesas, the joint venture of Mitsubishi and Hitachi started in April which now has 23 lines and is the 10th largest chip company in the world in terms of capacity.

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