Among all the key manufacturing regions in the semiconductor industry, Taiwan will continue to maintain its leading share of the installed 300mm fab manufacturing capacity in 2007, with Taiwan's capacity expected to increase 63% to more than 1.2 million wafer starts (200mm equivalents) per month by the end of the year, according to Stanley T Myers, president and CEO of SEMI.

Trailing closely behind Taiwan is South Korea, which will also see growth of 63% in its 300mm capacity this year.

Taiwan is currently home to 13 300mm production lines, with another seven lines expected to be in production by the end of 2008, SEMI recently stated. Myers indicated that Taiwan will add more than 650,000 wafer starts (200mm equivalents) per month over the next six quarters.

Myers added that 300mm wafer shipments accounted for about 25% of the global market in 2006 and 300mm capacity will grow about 59% in 2007 and 27% in 2008. This translates into a doubling of global 300mm capacity from the beginning of 2007 to the end of 2008, as 25 new fabs will come online, Myers pointed out.

According to SEMI, the crossover, when 300mm capacity exceeds 200mm capacity will occur in 2008.

By: DocMemory
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