Sat, Oct 26, 2024 page12

• Chipmakers tipped to lift capacity

  MATURE PROCESSES: TrendForce said that an increase in demand for chips used in vehicles, smartphones and PCs would improve firms’ equipment utilization rates

  • By Lisa Wang / Staff reporter
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  The world’s major contract chipmakers are expected to boost mature process technology capacity by 6 percent annually next year, with the lion’s share of the new capacity from Chinese chipmakers thanks to a mild recovery in demand for electronics and chips, TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) said yesterday.

  However, global economic uncertainty and concerns about China’s economic slowdown would discourage demand for mature node process technologies, limiting order visibility to about three months, the Taipei-based researcher said.

  A moderate pickup in demand for chips used in PCs, smartphones and cars would lift the utilization of mature technology equipment to above 75 percent next year, TrendForce said.

  

  Signage atop a Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co factory in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture on Feb. 23 shows the acronym of subsidiary Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Inc.

  Photo: Bloomberg

  That means price pressure would persist throughout next year, it said.

  With new capacity next year, Chinese chipmakers would account for 25 percent of the mature node process technology capacity operated by the world’s top 10 contract chipmakers, a new high, it said.

  A major portion of the new capacity would be 28-nanometer and 22-nanometer technologies, it said.

  China’s biggest chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (中芯國際), is to ramp up production of 40-nanometer and 28-nanometer technology at its fab in Jingcheng, and 110-nanometer and 28-nanometer chips at its Oriental fab, TrendForce said.

  Huahong Group (華虹) has two fabs that are to enter production next year, it said.

  Nexchip Semiconductor Corp (晶合集成) plans to have its N1A3 fab start producing chips on 55-nanometer and 28-nanometer technology, TrendForce said.

  Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Inc (JASM), a majority-owned subsidiary of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in Kumamoto Prefecture, is to ramp up production of chips made on 12-nanometer, 16-nanometer, 22-nanometer and 28-nanometer technologies, TrendForce said.

  TSMC earlier this month said that JASM’s first Kumamoto fab is to enter mass production this quarter and construction work for a second one is to begin early next year.

  As 28-nanometer technology is used in a wide range of applications, there is little chance that the surplus would stretch into a medium-term or long-term issue, TrendForce said.

  Moreover, geopolitical tensions have stimulated demand outside China, it said.

  Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp (世界先進) is setting a good example, TrendForce said.

  Vanguard plans to build its first 12-inch fab in Singapore later this year through a joint venture, VisionPower Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Pte, with NXP Semiconductor NV to deploy mature process technologies, TrendForce said.

  Additionally, United Microelectronics Corp (UMC, 聯電) plans to boost capacity at its Singapore fab to meet customer demand, TrendForce said.

  UMC in July told investors that it expected the new capacity from the fab to increase significantly in 2026.
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