Let the chips fall where they may

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