Memory chipmaker Winbond Electronics, in an effort to ramp up its niche-market DRAM business, has decided to outsource some of its production of mobile RAM chips to fellow company Powerchip Technology with shipments to begin before the end of 2011, according to industry sources.
Powerchip will produce the RAM chips via a 45nm processing technology, said the sources. Powerchip has confirmed the receipt of orders from Winbond.
The cooperation comes when other memory makers including Nanya Technology, Inotera Memories, Rexchip Electronics and ProMOS Technology have all entered the mobile RAM segment, the sources said.
Winbond noted that its 12-inch fab, which has a capacity of 50,000 wafer starts, is currently running at full capacity, and therefore, has to outsource part of its mobile RAM production to other fellow companies.
However, the cooperation between Winbond and Powerchip could be short-lived as Powerchip also aims to boost its own non-PC DRAM business and is expected to launch own-brand mobile RAM chips soon, the sources indicated.
Powerchip aims to raise the ratio of non-PC DRAM products to account for 50% of the wafer capacity of its 12-inch fab by the end of 2011, the company said earlier.