STATS Expands into China
Online staff -- EDN, July 3, 2003
ST Assembly Test Services Ltd. (STATS), a semiconductor test and advanced packaging service provider, today announced that it is opening a manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China.
Initial cash investment will be about $10 million, of which a major part is expected to be invested in 2004. In addition, STATS will transfer some of its existing production equipment from its Singapore facility to China.
The 25,000 sq. foot leased facility, located in Zhangjiang High Tech Park, Pudong, is expected to be operationally ready by the end of October and will offer wafer probe and final test for mixed-signal and high-end digital applications.
The facility will be equipped with a range of mixed-signal and high-end digital test platforms including Teradyne Catalyst, Teradyne J750 and Agilent 93K, STATS said.
“China, with its emerging cluster of foundries and design houses, is a strategic market for STATS," said Tan Lay Koon, STATS' president and CEO, in a statement. "With this facility in Shanghai, we have taken the first step of our strategic plan to establish a significant manufacturing presence in China to service our existing international customers as well as engage the indigenous Chinese foundries and design houses. STATS’ existing engagements with customers which are better serviced out of China will be transferred to this new facility in Shanghai when it is operational.”
He added that if the demand for packaging and testing of mixed-signal ICs grows, STATS will consider establishing a full service facility offering wafer probe, assembly and final test in China. STATS is looking into a location for this facility.
