Taiwan's Semiconductor Revenue to Cross NT$2Trillion in 2010

Taipei, June 16, 2008 (CENS)--Chairman Frank Huang of the Taiwan Semiconductor Industrial Association (TSIA) recently estimated Taiwan's semiconductor industry to see revenue cross the NT$2 trillion (US$66.6 billion at US$1:NT$30) mark in 2010.

Huang noted that the Taiwan industry saw its revenue grow past NT$1 trillion (US$33.3 billion) in 2004 and reach NT$1.4 trillion (US$46.6 billion) in 2007.

Huang, who is concurrently chairman of DRAM-chip maker PowerChip Semiconductor Corp. (PSC), stressed that Taiwan's semiconductor industry is globally known for its competitiveness. Taking the island's DRAM manufacturing for example, he added Taiwan snatched up around 25% of world market for DRAM chips last year with revenue totaling US$44.1 billion. The significant output has made Taiwan a formidable rival that tie the United States, South Korea and Japan in the competition.

Huang noted that Taiwanese chipmakers were aggressively pushing ahead with their 300mm wafer fab plans, likely adding the total number of the leading-edge chip-making tools to 20 over the next few years from current 15 factories cranking or under constructions. With increased number of 300mm factories, Taiwan's semiconductor industry is estimated to make a huge leap in revenue growth.

Huang said World Semiconductor Council (WSC) has reached an agreement to set goals for its members including Taiwan on energy conservation and emission reduction, demanding them to cut energy consumption, water consumption and perfluorinated compounds emission to 30%, 40% and 45%, respectively, of 2001 levels in 2010.

Invited by Huang to attend a semiconductor-equipment trade fair recently held in Taiwan, Renesas Technology Corp. Chairman Satoru Ito said chipmakers would embrace multi-core design to keep up with the growing mutli-function demands. For instance, a microprocessor will carry more than one core on it to process more software, contrast to one-processor-one-core dealing with only one single software.