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Toshiba breaks ground on Fab 5 NAND flash facility
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Toshiba and SanDisk are once again teaming to operate another 300mm mega-fab at Toshiba’s Yokkaichi Operations in in Mie Prefecture, Japan with the start of construction of delayed Fab 5, NAND flash facility. The fab will be constructed in two phases, with the pace of investment reflecting market trends. On completion of its second phase, Fab 5 will be comparable to Fab 4, with a ground area of some 38,000m2. Fab 4 has an estimated capacity of over 210,000wspm. Construction work is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2011.
The NAND flash manufacturing partners said that initial production would start with 20nm devices, which could be in operation by fourth quarter 2011. Toshiba and SanDisk also noted they were currently ramping previously unused clean room space in Fab 4, and expect to reach full capacity of Fab 4 by the start of production in Fab 5.
“Constructing the new facility assures our ability to respond to continued strong demand in the NAND flash memory market,” noted Mr. Kiyoshi Kobayashi, Corporate Senior Vice President of Toshiba Corporation, President and CEO of Semiconductor Company. “With our partner SanDisk, we will increase the manufacturing capacity gradually in accordance with market conditions, in a way that further enhances our competitiveness in the memory business.”
Fab 5 will naturally have a quake-absorbing structure and is designed to impose minimal environmental impacts. Toshiba said they would use LED lighting throughout the facility as well as energy-saving manufacturing equipment, and use of inverter-controlled pumps for semiconductor production equipment. These technologies are expected to cut CO2 emissions to a level 12% lower than for Fab 4, Toshiba said.
Construction of Fab 5 was initially planned to start in early 2009, however the plummeting prices for NAND flash due to massive overcapacity and an economic downturn forced the partners to postpone construction. Fab 4 is currently one of the largest semiconductor manufacturing facilities in the world.
Fast Facts:
Structure of building: 2-Story steel frame concrete, five floors
Ground area: Approximately 38,000m2
Total floor area: Approximately 187,000m2
Construction start: July 2010
Completion of first phase: Spring 2011 (Planned)
