Infineon new power semiconductor plant started to ease the supply shortage

"Power semiconductor factory in front of Infineon Technologies new production capacity of users of this kind of device can shorten the delivery cycle, and our production line can be flexibly adjusted according to market demand, the production of devices in urgent need of the market, so the market can alleviate the current power supply tension device." Infineon Technologies CEO Wolfang Ziebart opened in Malaysia high tech Park power semiconductor fab opening ceremony. At present, most of the world's power device manufacturers supply is tight, there are individual parts of the delivery date has been discharged to a year later, most of the device delivery time is 5 months. Almost all of the world's power semiconductor plants are fully loaded. According to Ziebart said that at present, Infineon has two power semiconductor front-end plants are also full load production, the plant will start to ease the supply of tension.

Announced officially started the power semiconductor fab is Infineon in Asia first front-end power semiconductor fab in Malaysia opened in two, before the Austria Villach and Germany Regensburg has front-end power semiconductor factory. In the case of the plant in full swing, the maximum production capacity will reach 100000 chips / month. The plant's production line is based on 200 mm (8 inch) wafers, capable of producing power semiconductor devices and logic chips for industrial and automotive applications such as MOSFET, bipolar, and IGBT.

The new factory production to convey two meanings to the industry, one is to strengthen the Infineon is in the field of power semiconductor investment; another layer of meaning is to strengthen support for clients in the region of infineon. The new opened factories will ease the current pressure on supply of power devices memory will be stripped, Infineon is realigning its product architecture, looking for new revenue growth, and become one of the important power semiconductor field. Ziebart said: "the memory after stripping, Infineon will focus moved to the simulator, hybrid devices and embedded field, specifically is the power semiconductor, mobile phone RF IC and industrial control products such as MCU." Infineon is currently moving to this program, "mobile phone RF IC our shipments in the world has been in the first place, and the power semiconductor business growing rapidly, according to the latest data from market research firm IMS, Infineon power semiconductor sales revenue in 2005 increased from $950 million in 2004 to $1 billion 60 million in 2005, accounting for the global market 9.3%, a growth rate of 11.6%, ranked the top in the field." According to IMS data, the average growth rate of the global market in 2005 was only 0.6%, Infineon's data significantly exceeded the global average. IMS is expected in the next 5 years, the demand for power semiconductor devices will grow steadily, with an average annual growth rate of 6%-8%.

And TI and the other half power supply manufacturers of different routes, mainly for large power IC Infineon power, and not too much involved in the field of IC power management, so his main rivals are still fairchild. The above IMS statistics are only for power semiconductors. PC motherboard, DC/DC or AC/DC converter, automotive, air conditioning and other consumer electronics and lighting applications such as frequent switching is their main target market. With the growing global energy demand, the growing scarcity of natural resources to promote the development of power semiconductor market. The improvement of the power management efficiency will provide a huge energy saving space for the above applications." Ziebart says. For example, the use of Infineon's latest technology of power semiconductor devices can bring 30-40% energy saving for the air conditioning, hybrid energy saving 10-30%.

Infineon in Kulim projects a total investment of about $1 billion, covers an area of 26000 square meters. Half of the new plant is now under construction, but it is still half empty. In this regard, Ziebart's explanation is: Although the current global demand for high power devices, but in order to avoid risks, the peak demand in the semiconductor industry should also take into account the risk of investment, can not blindly follow the trend." He explained that, for example, the current rapid rise in the price of global wafer material, which will affect the future price trend of power devices.

The risk semiconductor investment is very large, in the near future will not be based on Infineon power devices and the construction of new factories, it will be the new factory site in Malaysia, but not in the market demand for greater Chinese, also reflects the other Asian countries are competing for Chinese and high-tech, especially the Fab investment trend.

Malaysia PK China

Although Infineon CEO Ziebart explained that the semiconductor fab need not close to the end user, but for China, not for such a large investment project is indeed a pity. According to Ziebart, the beginning of Chinese, is also on the location of the list of candidates, but finally chose Malaysia opened. "What we see in Malaysia is its high skilled workforce, low operating costs and infrastructure to support the fab. China does not dominate in these areas. Especially our more than 30 years and Malaysia has the experience of cooperation, such as investment in Malacca power device packaging plant is more than 30 years of history, in the die factory can be sent directly to the Malacca package, so more convenient."

In fact,, in addition to objective reasons above about Ziebart, and a Infineon and other semiconductor manufacturers to attract investment in Malaysia is the reason for the government of Malaysia