News Article
Soitec reports strong growth in 300mm wafer sales
Rapid growth in 300mm wafer sales has helped French silicon-on-chip maker Soitec Sa increase its first half turnover to Euro 66.4 million, a 55.7 per cent rise on the same period last year.
Rapid growth in 300mm wafer sales has helped French silicon-on-chip maker Soitec Sa increase its first half turnover to Euro 66.4 million, a 55.7 per cent rise on the same period last year.
The Grenoble-based company reported a 185 per cent leap in sequential sales of 300mm wafers to Euro 17.5 million. This compares with a 19.1 per cent rise in 200mm wafer sales to Euro 27.4 million.The new 300mm wafer technology accounted for more than a quarter (27.8 per cent) of the company's first half wafer sales, a rise of 14.4 per cent over the corresponding period in 2003.
In a further sign that the transition to 300mm technology is gathering momentum, the company's 300mm wafer sales were even stronger in the second quarter of the year, making up just under a third of all wafer revenues.
The strong growth in 300mm wafer sales, combined with cost containment measures the firm has been putting into practice, helped Soitec reduce its first half losses from 19.8 million (on a turnover of Euro 42.6 million) last year to Euro 4.3 million.
Soitec is forecasting that the strong growth in 300mm wafer sales will continue into the second half. The firm is therefore planning to build two additional production lines to ramp up its 300mm capacity.
Although the firm is currently making a loss on its 300mm production, it predicts that it will start achieving break-even margins in the second half of the financial year.
The Grenoble-based company reported a 185 per cent leap in sequential sales of 300mm wafers to Euro 17.5 million. This compares with a 19.1 per cent rise in 200mm wafer sales to Euro 27.4 million.The new 300mm wafer technology accounted for more than a quarter (27.8 per cent) of the company's first half wafer sales, a rise of 14.4 per cent over the corresponding period in 2003.
In a further sign that the transition to 300mm technology is gathering momentum, the company's 300mm wafer sales were even stronger in the second quarter of the year, making up just under a third of all wafer revenues.
The strong growth in 300mm wafer sales, combined with cost containment measures the firm has been putting into practice, helped Soitec reduce its first half losses from 19.8 million (on a turnover of Euro 42.6 million) last year to Euro 4.3 million.
Soitec is forecasting that the strong growth in 300mm wafer sales will continue into the second half. The firm is therefore planning to build two additional production lines to ramp up its 300mm capacity.
Although the firm is currently making a loss on its 300mm production, it predicts that it will start achieving break-even margins in the second half of the financial year.
