Taiwanese
TSMC announced on August 10, 2010 that the company's board of directors has passed
investment expansion plans in Taiwan and China, according to the Commercial
Times of Taiwan. Total investments are expected to reach US$3.8 billion, and approximately
US$3.6 billion will be injected into its Taiwan units. Investment projects in
Taiwan include a US$1.9 billion investment in expanding advanced process
technology capacity at its 12-inch wafer fab, US$369 million in constructing Fab
15 , and US$258.1 million in increasing special technology capacity, according
to the same source. In addition, TSMC decides to develop new businesses in
Taiwan, spending US$101.6 million on constructing an LED (Light Emitting Diode)
production line in the Hsinchu Science Park and US$218 million on building a solar
cell fab in the Central Taiwan Science Park. It is reported that TSMC also plans
to increase the company's R&D spending and sustaining capital expenditure
from US$534.6 million to US$678.7 million in 2010.
As
part of the overall investment plan, it is projected that TSMC is going to
spend up to US$225 million on its Chinese unit located in Songjiang, Shanghai,
aiming at production expansion.It is reported that TSMC plans to upgrade the
process technology at its Songjiang plant from 0.18 micron to 0.13 micron. Currently
the investment proposal is pending review by Taiwan's Investment Commission
under Ministry of Economic Affairs.