Asia

06/01/1997

Asia

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing and Hewlett-Packard will team up to build a 30,000 wafer/month facility in Singapore. The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) will provide financial investment and be a minority shareholder in the project, which is named Chartered Silicon Partners Pte. Ltd. Plans call for groundbreaking to take place in September at the Woodlands Industrial Park, adjacent to Chartered`s existing facilities. Opening is slated for mid-1999. Initial production will be at 0.35-?m on 200-mm wafers. Project costs are estimated at greater than $1 billion.

Taiwan fab capacity may rise 40% in 1997. Chipmaking capacity is continuing to increase in Taiwan, with equipment spending probably rising in the current year, according to a report by Morgan Stanley & Co. The report said that Taiwanese manufacturing capacity increased about 40% in 1996, to 250,000, 200-mm wafers/month, with 1997 likely bringing another 40% rise, to 360,000 wafers/month. The capacity gains are almost entirely in DRAM and foundry lines.