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Nobunaga Chai, DIGITIMES Research, Taipei [Tuesday 16 October 2012]
The semiconductor foundry industry in Taiwan is forecast to register growth of 11.8% and 6.2% in output value in 2012 and 2013, respectively, according to Digitimes Research. Growth in 2013 will outperform that of China's IC foundry sector, which will see only a 2.1% increase. The output value for China's IC foundry industry will enjoy a 13.7% rise in 2012. However, due to lack of competitive advanced process technologies, growth in the value will contract significantly to US$3.36 billion in 2013, according to Digitimes Research predictions. In 2012, the output value for China's IC foundry sector is set to reach US$3.29 billion, up from US$2.89 billion a year earlier, Digitimes Research estimates. SMIC, China's largest foundry chipmaker, will enjoy significant growth in sales of 65nm products - identified as a growth driver for the overall foundry industry in China in 2012. Meanwhile, the output value for Taiwan's IC foundry industry in 2012 will be driven by growing sales of 45/40nm and 28nm node technologies generated from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), as well as rising output from Powerchip Technology's foundry division. Focusing previously on the PC DRAM market, Powerchip has gradually moved its business focus to its contract manufacturing business. Buoyed by its 12-inch fab capacity, Powerchip is expected to unseat VIS as Taiwan's third-largest foundry chipmaker in 2012. Digitimes Research forecasts that the output value for Taiwan's IC foundry industry will climb to US$21.95 billion in 2012, and expand further to US$23.32 billion in 2013. 
Source: Digitimes Research, October 2012
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