Intel, Micron NAND JV to Set Up Shop in Singapore

By Colleen Taylor -- Electronic News, 11/6/2006

Intel Corp. and Micron Technology Inc. today announced  plans to set up shop together in Singapore, adding a fourth fabrication facility to their NAND flash memory manufacturing capability.

Since the duo's joint venture IM Flash Technologies LLC formed in January, the companies said they have brought online a 300mm NAND fabrication facility in Manassas, Va., and that a Lehi, Utah, 300mm wafer fab is on track to be in production early in 2007. The venture also currently produces NAND through existing capacity at Micron's Boise, Idaho, fabrication facilities.

The Singapore facility, anticipated to break ground in the first half of next year and come online in the second half of 2008, will initially use a 50nm process technology on 300mm wafers, according to the companies.

"Micron has a long history of conducting business in Singapore with our manufacturing facility there, and this decision with Intel is a natural extension of our positive experience in Singapore," Steve Appleton, Micron's chairman, CEO and president, said in a statement.

"We are quite pleased with the progress IM Flash Technologies has made in a very short period of time positioning us for future growth in the NAND marketplace," said Brian Harrison, VP and general manager of Intel's flash memory group, said in the statement. "By executing to our strategy of ramping one 300mm fab per year, we fully expect to become one of the top manufacturers of NAND flash memory."

According to the companies, the multi-billion dollar plant will be Singapore's largest NAND flash manufacturing facility when it is fully operational. Further details about the companies' investment in the JV were not disclosed.