US semiconductor exporters receive financial aid
The Export-Import Bank of the United States has approved a $652 million loan guarantee to help US companies export equipment and services for a planned new silicon wafer fabrication facility in Singapore.
The main beneficiary of the banks decision is world number one semiconductor equipment supplier Applied Materials, although scores of other US companies - including KLA Tencor Corp and Novellus Systems - will receive financial aid too.
“It is important for [the bank] to help US manufacturers of high-technology equipment to remain competitive in key markets,” said Export-Import Bank chairman Philip Merrill. “This transaction will create and sustain high quality jobs at Applied Materials and many US sub-suppliers.”
The US companies will supply equipment to Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing for use in the first phase of a new state-of-the-art 300mm fab the Singaporean company is planning to build.
The fab will feature 90nm process technology and be capable of producing 15,000 wafers a month.
