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UMC resumes ramping 300mm fabs, starts 65nm production |
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Apr 26, 2006 at 11:36 AM |
 United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) has resumed the production ramps at both its Fab12A and Fab12i 300mm fabs, according to 1Q06 financial results. In the second half of 2005, both facilities had virtually stopped increasing wafer outs as demand had softened.
Now the company is reporting that Fab12A its first 300mm facility is expected to ramp past 28,000wspm by the end of 2Q06, an increase of 4,593wspm compared to 4Q05 wafer starts that stood at 23,703wspm.
Fab12i, located in Singapore stopped ramping completely in 3Q05, reaching 13,924wspm. In 1Q06, the fab had a slight increase in wafer starts and is expected to reach 14,666wspm in 2Q06, an increase of 741 300mm wafer outs.
UMC is currently sticking to its previously advised CapEx spending plan for 2006, which was set at $1 billion US dollars. UMC reiterated that 83 percent of planned CapEx would go to ramping its two 300mm facilities while 14 percent of the budget would be spent on R&D activities. The remaining 3 percent share would go to its 200mm fabs. The company reported that it spent $189 million on CapEx in the first quarter.
Significantly, the company stated that it had started 65nm production for one customer but currently in low volumes. This could mean UMC is the first foundry to actually start ‘volume' production at the 65nm node.
"We are also seeing strong demand for 65nm technologies, and are progressing smoothly in the roll-out of this process," stated Dr. Jackson Hu, UMC Chairman and CEO. "UMC led all foundries with the delivery of its first 65nm customer product back into June 2005. We are currently producing these 65nm chips at Fab 12A in small volume quantities and expect to receive eleven product tape-outs from eight customers by the end of this summer.
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