ProMOS move toward 63nm slows down

TAIPEI: Amidst reports that Elpida says may buy shares in Taiwanese chipmakers, including ProMOS Technology, the company seems to have postponed its plans to scale up its monthly output using 63nm process technology to 35,000 wafer starts. According to Digitimes, this will not be carried out until 2011, due to delivery delays of new equipment.

This is attributed to delivery delays of new equipment. The DRAM maker has said that it expects the level to reach 20,000-25,000 units by the end of 2010.

ProMOS has also stated that it will be capable of processing 10,000 wafers per month on the 63nm node in October. It was expected that by the end of 2010 the company would convert more than half of its capacity to the 63nm node from 72nm - which is still the company's major production process. It currently runs a 12-inch fab with monthly capacity estimated at 60,000 wafers.

ProMOS's revenues slid 7.6 p.c sequentially to NT$2.23 billion in September due to falling DRAM spot prices,. However, cumulative consolidated revenues from January to September reached NT$17.63 billion, growing from NT$6.7 billion during the same period last year.

It has also been revealed that ProMOS will stop trading on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) between October 7 and 25, prior to new shares being listed.