06
Oct
05
Oct
Foxconn, FPG keen on LFP battery production in Taiwan
Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries are significantly gaining ground in energy storage and EV applications amid the mounting calls for reducing carbon emissions to net zero. This has prompted many industry conglomerates including Taiwan’s Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) and Foxconn Technology (Hon Hai) to step up investments in domestic production of LFP batteries, according to industry sources.
05
Oct
ALP extends logistics operations from Taiwan to Malaysia
Taiwan-based Ally Logistic Property (ALP) has disclosed it will start developing an automated logistics park in Bukit Raja, a central area of Malaysia’s western coast, in mid-October 2022.
05
Oct
Kneron gets new funding for next-generation edge AI chips
Edge AI startup Kneron has raised an additional US$48 million in funding through its Series B round, with new investors including Taiwan’s Liteon Technology, Adata Technology, and a financial institution, apart from Foxconn injecting more funds than it did in Series A round.
05
Oct
Sigurd sees stable demand for wireless and HPC chips
IC testing house Sigurd Microelectronics has enjoyed stable demand for wireless and HPC chips, enabling it to post about flat sequential revenue growth in September.
05
Oct
Canon to build first lithography plant in 21 years, betting on nanoimprint technology
Japanese camera and lithography machine maker Canon will invest more than JPY50 billion (US$345 million) to build a new plant in Japan’s Tochigi prefecture, Nikkei Asia reported. The plant, intended for lithography machine production, marks Canon’s first plant for lithography equipment in 21 years. Construction will begin in 2023, and begin operation in 2025. While the Dutch company ASML leads the global lithography equipment market with 60% share in volume shipped, Canon’s share is 30%.
05
Oct
UMC inaugurates academy to train 600 equipment engineers
United Microelectronics Corp (UMC) inaugurated its Semiconductor Equipment Academy on October 3, planning to train 600 equipment engineers in a year, according to the press release.
05
Oct
Equipment supply and demand gap stabilizing for OSATs, IDMs: Q&A with K&S SVP Chan Pin Chong
Automotive chips and power devices continue to see uneven supplies, and Taiwan’s leading OSATs including ASE Technology and international IDMs such as Infineon, Renesas, NXP, ST Microelectronics and Onsemi all badly need backend equipment to support their chips production. According to Chan Pin Chong, senior vice president and general manager of products and solutions at Kulicke & Soffa (K&S), a leading vendor of advanced packaging and other semiconductor equipment, the gap between capacity demand and equipment supply has already been narrowing.
05
Oct
Google advocates circular economy accelerator that targets startups in Asia-Pacific and N America
Google has launched its first Google for Startups Accelerator: Circular Economy for startup teams and non-profit organizations in the Asia-Pacific and North American regions. Applications are available until November 14. The project is set to begin in February 2023.
05
Oct
Taiwan IC design houses upbeat about automotive ICs in 2023
With cars getting more and larger on-board displays, Taiwan-based IC design houses are generally optimistic about demand for display driver ICs (DDI), touch and display driver integration (TDDI) and other automotive ICs in 2023, according to industry sources.