Eight-inch foundry Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) has seen its production capacity fully utilized, which will persist throughout the first half of 2021, according to market sources.

VIS is also unlikely to see impacts from the easing of the US trade restrictions on China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International (SMIC), given the Taiwan-based foundry house's less dependence on orders from China, compared with fellow competitors' such as United Microelectronics (UMC), the sources indicated.

With China being its largest market, SMIC has reportedly received licenses to import mature process manufacturing equipment from US companies. SMIC will be able to boost its output of chips built using 14nm and more mature process technologies, the sources noted.

VIS reported revenue grew 1.3% sequentially and 8.7% on year to NT$2.82 billion (US$99.4 million) in February 2021. Revenue totaled NT$5.6 billion for the first two months of this year, rising 12.7% from a year earlier.

Based on VIS' sales guidance for the first quarter of 2021, market observers expect the company to see March revenue top NT$3 billion and hit a record high,

VIS estimated previously first-quarter revenue at between NT$8.9 billion and NT$9.3 billion - a record high for the fifth consecutive quarter - with gross margin ranging from 36.5% to 38.5%. The foundry noted it has seen 8-inch fab capacity utilized fully, with clear order visibility through the third quarter.

By: DocMemory
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