According to various news reports, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is to raise capital spending in 2009 to US$1.9 billion, up from US$1.5 billion the company had previously guided. TSMC did not apparently say why the increase in spending was necessary, given the state of the semiconductor industry.
However, the foundry has plans this year to expand R&D efforts for leading-edge semiconductor processes as well as having recently completed a 300mm fab module. The company has also said it would expand its business into both LED and photovoltaics manufacturing.