Taiwan is crawling with chip foundries these days, and 11 locals have announced plans to invest a total of $11,660m to build 12 semiconductor plants processing eight-inch wafers, but Holtek Microelectronics Inc, Taipei, Taiwan chip foundry, is to invest $395m in a new six-inch wafer processing plant to meet rising demand. The first phase, costing $160m, is expected to be completed by the end of 1966, will have monthly capacity of 8,000 six-inch wafers, and the second phase, due for completion in 1999, will lift monthly capacity to 30,000 six-inch wafers. The company’s existing plant has monthly capacity of 22,000 five-inch wafers and made a net profit of $14m on turnover of $730m. Its 1995 pre-tax profit target is $15.8m on sales of $853m. Holtek went for six-inch wafers because they were more appropriate to its size and its customers needs.
