Fire at Winbond fab in Taiwan will cause unknown startup delay

05/01/1998

Fire at Winbond fab in Taiwan will cause unknown startup delay

Work on Winbond Electronics Corp.`s Fab 3 in Hsinchu, Taiwan, has been disrupted by a fire that caused significant damage to the fab building and some process equipment. Taiwanese newspaper accounts estimated damage at up to NT$1.2 billion (US$43.63 million), but Winbond officials in the US could not confirm this.

The blaze, which caused no injuries, will delay startup of the 25,000 wafer/month, 200-mm fab by an as-yet undetermined time. Pilot production was already underway, and volume production was to have begun in the first quarter of 1997. Current customers, all of whose products are being run in Fabs 1 and 2, will not be affected, said Winbond. The company said it is insured for the damage to buildings and equipment.

Articles in the Taiwan Economic Journal said the fire started at about 12:50 pm on Oct. 14, and was brought under control by about 5 pm. The blaze was said to have begun in a 4th floor cleanroom equipment maintenance area. Again, US officials could not confirm these accounts.

In addition to Fab 3, Winbond is also at work on its Fab 4, which will handle cooperative production with Toshiba. Fab 3 will be a foundry. -P.N.D.