SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY

UPDATE

January 2015

McIlvaine Company

PSPC Expands Chip Facility in the Philippines

Phoenix Semiconductor Philippines Corp. (PSPC) plans to expand business in the Philippines after it successfully debuted in the local stock exchange. A local branch of South Korean semiconductor giant STS Semiconductor and Telecommunications, PSPC is the first Korean company to list in the local bourse.

According to Kim Dongjoo, PSPC chief finance officer, the company would begin expansion of its manufacturing plant in Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga with an investment of $173 million. The said move is expected to bolster the plant's production capacity by 70 per cent.

PSPC's products include board on chip (BOC), micro SD cards and modules such as unbuffered dual in-line memory module (UDIMM), registered dual in-line memory module (RDIMM) and small outline dual in-line memory module (SODIMM).

In addition, the development is part of PSPC's plan to attract more customers apart from Samsung companies. The company currently serves only the requirement of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd and its customers, Philippine Star reported.

PSPC at present is in talks with at least two American companies and one Japanese conglomerate to become its new clients, said Dongjoo, who also hinted at a third phase of expansion in the next three to five years.

The company is taking advantage of the Philippines' "competitive points" such as its growing economy and low labour cost, which is said to be 30 per cent cheaper than Chinese manufacturing, according to Dongjoo.

In a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the chief finance officer also said that the company would be needing more engineers and technicians, paving the way for more job opportunities in the country.

McIlvaine Company

Northfield, IL 60093-2743

Tel:  847-784-0012; Fax:  847-784-0061

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