Amkor Technology has announced that it is building a wafer bumping plant in Singapore using the same processes currently employed by the company’s Unitive subsidiary in Taiwan.
Amkor expects to commence operation at the Singapore facility in the second half of this year; it will support wafer bump and probe services for 90nm and 65nm applications on 300mm wafers, according to the company. Amkor Singapore will offer a full suite of its 300 mm wafer bumping services on a copy-exact basis with Amkor's existing bumping operation in Taiwan, the company said.
"We are taking this step in close collaboration with Singapore's Economic Development Board, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, and other customers who operate in Singapore," Oleg Khaykin, Amkor's CEO, said in a statement. "As wafer process technology continues to advance below 90nm, IC packaging will increasingly require advanced flip chip and wafer level solutions," he said.
"Our production build-out is largely supported by long-term supply agreements for both bump and probe services," said Khaykin. "Our capital contribution toward developing the first phase of this facility is included in our previously announced, preliminary capital expenditure budget for 2006."
Chartered suggested the proximity of the new Amkor plant to it is beneficial. "The direct benefits are faster post-fab cycle time, better coordination for quality and overall manufacturing efficiencies," Chia Song Hwee, president and CEO of Chartered, said in a statement. "Our enhanced collaboration will result in improved synergy and seamless technology integration and coordination for the benefit of customers."
Amkor has a presence in Singapore since 2004, and has invested $80 million to date. It said its investment would approach $200 million over the next several years. Its new plant will employ several hundred people in the next 18 months, the company said.
