TOP CONTRACT MAKER of semiconductors, TSMC, along with two other Taiwan chip makers, Powerchip and Vanguard has announced that it plans to build five new plants for a fabulous $14.7 billion.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) has said that the new fabs will include a 12-inch wafer plant to develop chips for computers and a range of consumer electronics.

The fabs will be built in a new area of the Hsinchu Industrial Park, in northern Taiwan. Hsinchu Industrial Park reckons that together, with their investment of T$450 billion ($14.7 billion), the three companies could reach an estimated yearly production value of T$300 ($9.8 Billion). The fabs are expected to create over 3,000 jobs.

"We will have both R&D and manufacturing in the new plants," said TSMC spinner, J.H. Tzeng.

On Tuesday, TSMC shares rose two percent to expand capacity in its facility in northern Taiwan.

L'Inq
AFP