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    1. Manufacturing Services & Testing
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    TSMC invests in LED manufacturing line

    Aug. 18, 2010
    The board of TSMC, the largest silicon IC foundry, has allocated over $100 million towards building an LED production line.

    TSMC, the giant Taiwan-based silicon IC manufacturing foundry, has passed a Board of Directors resolution to assign US$101.6 million for an LED production line.

    As we reported in March 2010, TSMC has already started to construct its first LED fab in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan. TSMC is the leading contract IC fabricator and believes it can transfer its manufacturing expertise to LEDs.

    "LED lighting is a promising industry, and we will make full use of TSMC’s technology leadership and manufacturing excellence in semiconductors to develop and integrate LED technology, process, and packaging and testing,” said Rick Tsai, TSMC President of New Businesses.

    TSMC has also allocated $218 million to construct a fab for the production of thin-film solar photovoltaic modules.

    In March of this year, TSMC said that the LED fab will be built in two phases. Investment in plant and equipment for the first phase is expected to reach NT$5.5 billion ($172.5 billion), and equipment move-in is scheduled for fourth quarter of 2010 with volume production in the first quarter of 2011. TSMC will make decisions on construction of the second phase depending on future business needs.