Hynix to shut its only US fab
Casualty of shift to 300mm wafers
SOUTH KOREAN memory manufacturer Hynix Semiconductor announced Thursday that it will shutter its only US factory by the end of September.
The Hynix chip fab in Eugene, Oregon started up in 1998 and employs about 1,200 workers, making it one of the area's largest employers.
The company said it might use the plant for a "similar business" but didn't elaborate on that. It could also sell the plant and equipment to another semiconductor firm, or sell just the real estate and relocate the machinery.
Hynix spokesman Park Seong-ae noted that the entire semiconductor industry is moving its production lines away from 200mm wafers to larger 300mm wafers to improve efficiency and cut per-chip production costs. The Hynix chip fab in Eugene produces 200mm wafers.
In April, Hynix admitted it posted a net loss in the first quarter due to falling memory chip prices and industry oversupply. µ
L'Inq
AP
Comments
Silicon fab into solar plant?
The Eugene Register Guard newspaper is reporting that Hynix is talking to a half dozen silicon solar manufacturers to take over the plant. That prospect looks dim to me though, since the price of solar-grade silicon is inflating and the next wave of solar PV is heading to the cheaper panels made from thin films.