The chipmaker updated its schedule for the fab after local media reported that the scale of the project was being reduced, with used equipment being substituted for new equipment. Reports also claimed that SMIC was pushing out the schedule for its new 300-mm wafer fab in Shanghai because of a lack of funds.

SMIC said it started installing equipment at the Chengdu plant last week, about a month ahead of schedule. The equipment is coming from SMIC's Shanghai plant.

SMIC has one operational 300-mm wafer fab in Beijing, and recently finished building another 300-mm wafer fab in Shanghai, where it already has three 200-mm wafer fabs. The new fab, geared for the production of logic chips, will start trial production in the first half of next year and volume production in the second half, a spokesperson said. The initial plan calls for a monthly capacity of 5,000 to 6,000 wafers.

SMIC recently agreed to manage an operational 200-mm wafer facility in Chengdu with financial support from the local government. And in a strangely unique arrangement, SMIC also said it will manage a multibillion-dollar 300-mm fab being built and funded by the city of Wuhan, which hopes the fab will spur private sector investment in related industries.

Aside from Chengdu and Wuhan, SMIC's major expansion plans for 2007 include substantially expanding capacity at its 300-mm wafer fab in Beijing, according to Strategic Marketing Associates.

By: DocMemory
Copyright © 2023 CST, Inc. All Rights Reserved