October 15, 2003 – Japan’s Dai Nippon Printing Co. and STMicroelectronics have opened a joint photomask plant in Agrate, Italy.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports the facility, 81% owned by Dai Nippon Printing, will produce photomasks for 0.13-micron process technologies, with future plans to adopt 90nm processes. The venture will initially provide photomasks to STMicro but eventually to other firms in Europe.
The facility is expected to generate $30 million in sales in 2004, and $60 million in 2005.