Tampines:A new 12-inch wafer fabrication plant in Tampines, Singapore, built by Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp. (VIS) and NXP Semiconductors, has started its initial production phase. The facility, owned by VisionPower Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (VSMC), began trial production in June with a 40-nanometer wafer batch achieving a yield rate of over 99 percent. Mass production is anticipated to commence in the first quarter of 2027.
According to Focus Taiwan, the plant's capacity is fully booked by global customers, with monthly production expected to reach 44,000 wafers by 2029. The facility will produce chips using processes from 40nm to 130nm, catering to automotive and industrial applications, including embedded flash memory, power management, and analog chips. Additionally, it will manufacture interposers for advanced chip packaging, crucial for AI chips for companies like Nvidia, Google, and Broadcom.
During a ceremony in Tampines, VIS Chairman Fang Leuh highlighted collaboration with Singaporean educational institutions to develop local semiconductor talent. Fang noted that demand for power management and analog chips, especially for industrial uses and data centers, is surpassing supply.
With the plant's capacity already fully committed, VIS is considering constructing an adjacent facility to meet growing demand. VSMC currently employs about 1,000 people and plans to expand its workforce to approximately 1,600 as production increases.
