New Malaysian Fab Announced

A brand new, state-of-the-art semiconductor contract manufacturing venture called 1st Silicon has been announced by Datuk J. C. Fong, chairman of the new company's board of directors. Financing and support of the new venture is being provided by the Malaysian State of Sarawak and individual investors.

Claudio G. Loddo, an internationally known semiconductor executive, has been named to head up 1st Silicon. Loddo was formerly president of Thesys Mikroelektronik of Erfurt, Germany, and has held senior management positions in marketing, manufacturing and sales operations with LSI Logic, Hitachi Semiconductor and other major semiconductor manufacturers and distributors in Europe.

Loddo said, "We are negotiating agreements with Sharp Corporation of Japan on the transfer of 0.25-micron state-of-the-art process technology, and we expect to commence construction in Q3 of this year, delivering 200 mm wafers to customers by the beginning of the next millennium, 2000."

1st Silicon's facility occupies 80 acres in the Sama Jaya Free Trade Zone of Kuching. The company estimates that it will reach a production capacity of 20,000 wafers per month in the year 2000.

According to Loddo, 1st Silicon plans to establish an office in Northern California in late 1998 to handle liaison with U.S. customers. In addition, future design engineering, marketing and sales personnel will be located in the United States.