Just recently, United Microelectronics Corporation announced that it intends to ramp up 40nm and 45nm wafer production at its Singapore-based 12-inch fabrication plant by implementing a capacity extension project.

The company is doing relatively well for itself despite an uncertain economic year-end quarter and a declining sales rate around this time last year. Last month, UMC’s revenues grew to an impressive two-year high at $296 million in September, its fourth consecutive monthly growth of the year.

According to company Senior VP Po Yen Wen, “This capacity expansion and advanced technology migration project for Fab 12i has demonstrated our commitment to provide Customer-driven Foundry Solutions to support the needs of our customers. It will also create more local job opportunities for Singapore while attracting more talented engineers to UMC from all over the world. Furthermore, it will contribute greatly to Singapore semiconductor industry's development and create benefits for customers, the local community and UMC."

The advanced technology migration project for its Fab 12i in Singapore is considered by company execs to be “aggressive,” although a monetary funding number for the project was not stated. It will be interesting to observe how quickly UMC can complete this project as it competes against other manufacturing facilities who are already migrating to 32nm wafers, and some even 28nm.