Online information source for semiconductor professionals
SMIC slashes capital spending
Popular articles
Voltaix names Peter Smith as CEO - 09 November 2011
Sematech Litho Forum: Sematech mulling multi-beam mask writer effort - 12 May 2010
TSMC hosts 2008 Green Forum on ‘green’ factories - 31 October 2008
Oberai discusses Magma’s move into solar PV yield management space - 29 August 2008
TSMC honors suppliers at annual Supply Chain Management Forum - 03 December 2008
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) has reported capital spending below previous guidance for 2008 as well as slashing spending for 2009. Capital expenditures for 4Q08 were US$56 million, resulting in 2008 spending reaching US$665 million, lower than the US$790 million previously guided for the year. For 2009, SMIC has planned capital expenditures to be only US$190 million, indicating that it has sufficient capacity to meet expected demand in 2009.
SMIC also noted in its fourth quarter results that it had successfully completed the conversion of its 300mm fab cluster in Beijing from DRAM dependent production to that of logic. Extra capacity has also been added at Beijing in 2008, rising from 16,000wspm to 18,000wspm.
Total fab capacity utilization plunged in the fourth quarter, mirroring the trend at the other major pure-play foundries. SMIC reported utilization fell to 67.7% in the fourth quarter, down from 90.5% in the third quarter.