UMC reported consolidated revenues of $1.20 billion for the first quarter of 2015, up 1.1 per cent sequentially, when wafer shipments increased 3.5 per cent on quarter. Gross margin was 24.3 per cent.

UMC CEO Po-Wen Yen said that in the first quarter of 2015, foundry revenue grew to and overall capacity use was 93 per cent, bringing wafer shipments to 1.48 million eight-inch equivalent wafers.

The outfit's 28nm process technology accounted for about 9 per cent of the company's overall revenues in the first quarter. The proportion is set to climb further to 10 per cent in the second quarter.

Yen revealed that a groundbreaking ceremony for the 12-inch wafer fab in Xiamen was held in March.

"When the building structure is completed, we expect the fab cleanroom to be ready for equipment move-in by second-quarter 2016, with initial production scheduled for late 2016," Yen said.