China-based Fujian Jin Hua Integrated Circuit will complete equipment move-in as early as July, paving the way for volume production in the third quarter of 2018, according to industry sources.

Construction of Jin Hua's 12-inch wafer plant is ahead of schedule, said the sources, adding that the phase-one facility of the plant is expected to kick off production in the third quarter of 2018. A topping-out ceremony for the plant was held in November 2017.

Jin Hua's plan is to enter trial production at its 12-inch fab in September 2018, but the fab construction project is already ahead of schedule, the sources indicated.

Jin Hua has received the first phase of investment totaling US$5.3 billion from local city governments in Fujian, China for its fab construction, the sources said. The company is partnering Taiwan's United Microelectronics (UMC) to develop DRAM production technologies.

An industry fund has also been established by China's National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund (known as the Big Fund) and local city governments to inject capital into Jin Hua, the sources noted. The fund named Fujian An Xin Industrial Investment Fund will expand ultimately to reach CNY50 billion (US$8 billion), the sources said.

Jin Hua is among the chipmakers being supported financially by the China government under the country's 13th Five-Year Plan, and has already received CNY3 billion for its establishment, the sources disclosed.

By: DocMemory
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