UMC speeding up 300mm expansion

May 31, 2006 – Taiwanese foundry United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) is speeding up capacity expansions at its three 300mm fabs, to respond to increased outsourcing from customers including STMicroelectronics and Cadence Design Systems, according to the Taiwan Economic News.

The company’s Fab 12B is expected to come online in 3Q06, while capacity increases at Fabs 12A and 12i will boost combined capacity from current levels of 26,000 wafers/month to 40,000 wafers/month later this quarter, and 50,000 wafers/month early next year.

Helping spur UMC’s expansion is STMicroelectronics, which has stated it will boost its outsourcing of logic chips from 42% of total revenues to 59% of revenues by 4Q06, and will double its needs for sub-0.13-micron process foundry services.

Also, UMC has qualified 65nm X Architecture chips with Cadence Design Systems, to be incorporated into cell phones.

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