Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL), a Taiwan-based provider of IC packaging/testing service, will add investment of US$100 million in Siliconware Technology (Suzhou) to expand the China subsidiary's copper-wire bonding capacity, according to SPIL.

The capacity expansion targets ICs for entry- and mid-level communication, PC and consumer electronics from China-based IC design houses, SPIL indicated. Currently, China-based IC designers take up more than 80% of Siliconware Technology's clients, SPIL noted.

Siliconware Technology had 1,165 wire bonders, including for QFN (quad-flat no lead) and CSP (chip scale package) packaging, and 62 sets of testing equipment as of first-quarter 2012, SPIL said. The subsidiary will introduce multi-row QFN and eQFN packaging in 2012.

SPIL is also increasing its copper-wire bonding capacity in Taiwan, with the proportion of revenues from all copper-wire bonding expected to rise from 33.4% in the first quarter of 2012 to 40-45% in the second one, the company indicated.