Winbond and Nanya to open new DRAM-memory factories

As demand for high-capacity memory modules increases, Taiwan's DRAM chip makers are ramping up production to increase their market share.
Winbond Electronics and Nanya Technology are set to open new plants.Image source: Laura Ockel/pixabay.comWinbond will boost production of 2-4Gb chips when it opens its 200mm wafer fab in Kaohsiung in Q4 2022, and Nanya will start building a 200mm wafer fab in New Taipei this month.
It's worth noting that vendors will not rush the transition to new memory types, but will ramp up production of DDR3 and DDR4 chips.Although customers who buy legacy DDR3 are expected to gradually transition to DDR4, such a transition can take a long time.
Therefore, vendors will be expanding production of DDR3, and only half of the orders in the next two to three years will be shifted to DDR4.
DDR3 is still used in many applications from consumer electronics, automotive, networking equipment to handheld devices.
In particular, network infrastructure devices and servers are in high demand in 2022.Winbond's new factory in Kaohsiung will initially master the 25nm process technology and will focus on DDR3 production.
The company's DDR3 shipments currently account for about 30 percent of its total revenue, but by 2024 that figure could reach 50 percent.
According to the company, production at the new factory will increase from 24 thousand plates initially to 34 thousand, and after 2024 - up to 38-40 thousand plates.
After 25-nm the company plans to move to 20-nm technology, and begin mass production of products based on it in late 2024 or 2025.
At the same time, the manufacturer will be reoriented to the production of DDR4.
Nanya plans to start manufacturing of in-house designed 10-nm DDR4 chips that have already passed the pilot 8-Gbit tests.
Meanwhile, the company plans to reduce the production of 30-nm DDR3 chips, gradually moving to DDR5.
At the moment less than 10% of the company's income comes from the products, corresponding to the 10-nm technology.Nanya will spend about $10.1 billion to build the new factory - the construction kickoff ceremony is scheduled for June 23.
The launch of the factory had to be postponed for two or three quarters because of construction problems.
Mass production is postponed from 2024 to 2025, at the first stage the factory will produce 45 thousand wafers per month.