10 December 2010

Smartphone demand drives GaAs foundry WIN to boost capacity

Taiwan-based gallium arsenide wafer foundry WIN Semiconductors Corp has revealed plans to ramp up capacity in 2011 in anticipation of brisk demand for power amplifier (PA) from the smartphone sector, reports Digitimes.

WIN will start moving in new equipment in January, paving the way for the upcoming expansion of its 6-inch GaAs wafer fabrication plant, the firm says. Monthly capacity is currently 12,000–14,000 wafers, but WIN expects to boost this to 16,000 by mid-2011 and 20,000 by year end.

WIN’s total shipments for 2010 are likely to be up by more than 80% year-on-year, reckons Brian Lee, VP of sales & marketing. Continued strong demand for smartphones as well as outsourcing from the overseas integrated device manufacturer (IDM) sector will continue driving shipment growth, he adds.

In addition, WIN aims to build capacity for gallium nitride (GaN) PA products used in base-station and satellite applications, Lee notes. Capacity for this new product segment, which would yield higher gross margins, is scheduled to come online by the end of 2011.

WIN’s revenue for January through November 2010 was NT$6.42bn, up 49% year-on-year. Market watchers have forecast that the firm will see sales rise 30% in 2011, according to the Digitimes report.

See related items:

Taiwan GaAs foundries post further revenue growth in July

Tags: WIN Semiconductors GaAs foundry

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