NEC steps up timetable to build two 300-mm fabs

NEC steps up timetable to build two 300-mm fabs
By Jack Robertson, Semiconductor Business News
April 21, 2000 (10:39 a.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20000421S0006

WASHINGTON -- Not wanting to be left out of the limelight, NEC Corp. today moved a little closer to getting its previously announced 300-mm wafer fabs underway. The Japanese chip maker said construction of the two fab shells will begin within 12 months, although there are no plans about yet when to start equipping the plants.

Two years ago, NEC said it planned to build its first 300-mm fab in Hiroshima, followed by a second, larger-size wafer fab adjoining its present Roseville, Calif., plant. But as recently as last month, NEC chairman Hajime Sasaki said there was still no definite timetable for launching the two new fabs.

Analysts said NEC is pondering the financing for the costly new fabs, on top of an already aggressive new capital investment schedule. In the last week alone, NEC has announced a $978 million new fab in Yamaguchi to make system-on-chip ICs and a $340 million upgrade to its Scotland fab to make flat panel display driver chips. NEC is also poised to expand its Kyushu fab to make embedded memory chips for the next generation Nintendo game player called Dolphin.