Toshiba to Boost Fab Capacity
Toshiba Corporation announced that it would reinforce its leadership in fab capacity by constructing two state of the art fabs, in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, and in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture. One of the new fabs will initially fabricate advanced generations of NAND flash memory, and it is also expected to produce future memory. The other fab will provide capacity to meet Toshiba's future semiconductor requirements.
By building two production facilities in parallel, Toshiba will be positioned for a timely response to surges in demand, and will further strengthen its competitiveness in the semiconductor business.
The new fabs will be built on the site of Iwate Toshiba Electronics Co., Ltd. (Iwate Toshiba), a Toshiba consolidated subsidiary, and adjacent to Toshiba's Yokkaichi Operations, where four NAND flash fabs are already in operation. Following completion of all required procedures, construction of the new fabs is expected to start in the spring of 2009, targeting completion in 2010. Details of construction schedules will be finalised in due course, in light of progress in approvals and market trends.
Separately, Toshiba and SanDisk Corporation also signed a non binding memorandum of understanding on one of the new fabs, targeting a production start up date in 2010, and a related production joint venture. Details of the fab, including site location, will be finalised as planning progresses.
In the future, Toshiba plans to discuss with SanDisk their interest in participating in the other new fab.
