Powerchip Technology is looking to lower the capacity it allocates to make commodity DRAM, in a move to minimize the impact of declining chip prices, according to the company. The freed capacity will be allocated to produce other products on a foundry basis.
Powerchip did not disclose any actual figures. The company was quoted in previous reports as saying it runs three 12-inch fabs with a combined monthly capacity of 120,000 wafers, 80,000 units of which are alloted for DRAM production and the remainder for its foundry business.
In addition, market sources recently speculated that Elpida Memory has decided to cut back its outsourcing to ProMOS Technologies.
ProMOS was quoted in previous reports saying its monthly output for Elpida's DDR3 chips will reach 20,000-25,000 wafer starts at the end of 2010. The estimate has been revised from an original target of 35,000 units, and ProMOS attributed the downward revision to delivery delays of immersion scanners.
In other news, a recent Reuters report cited the Nikkei Business Daily as indicating Elpida will slash production at subsidiary Rexchip Electronics and also consider postponing the construction of a plant in Taiwan. But Elpida said nothing has been decided, according to Reuters.
Rexchip currently runs a 12-inch fab at the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP) with a monthly capacity of more than 80,000 wafer starts. Rexchip in August said its second 12-inch fab, with the shell construction having already completed, would come online in 2011 to boost the company's overall capacity to 160,000-200,000 a month.