Renesas Japan announced today that it will invest 90 billion yen in its Kofu plant in Kofu. They noted that while the factory was closed in October 2014, Renesas plans to reopen the factory in 2024 as a 300mm power semiconductor fab capable of manufacturing IGBTs and power MOSFETs.
Renesas said the global demand for high-efficiency power semiconductors that supply and manage electricity is expected to increase dramatically globally as the momentum for carbon neutrality grows. Renesas particularly anticipates rapid growth in demand for electric vehicles (EVs), and therefore plans to increase its production capacity for power semiconductors such as IGBTs to contribute to decarbonization. Once mass production is achieved at the Kofu plant, Renesas Power Semiconductor's total production capacity will double.
The Kofu plant of Renesas Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Renesas Electronics, previously operated 150mm and 200mm wafer fabrication lines. In order to increase production capacity, Renesas decided to use the remaining building of the factory and restore it to a 300mm wafer fab dedicated to power semiconductors.
Hidetoshi Shibata, President and CEO of Renesas Electronics, said: "Sustainability is at our core, and with the aim of 'making our lives easier', we want to build a sustainable future where our semiconductor technologies and solutions have Help make our lives easier.” “This investment allows us to have the largest wafer fabrication line dedicated to power semiconductors, which is key to decarbonization. We will continue to make the necessary investments to improve our In-house production capacity, while further strengthening ties with outsourcing partners. In response to mid- to long-term demand growth, Renesas remains committed to securing supply and providing the best support to our customers.”
Toshiba expands production of SiC and GaN, greatly improving power semiconductors
Earlier this year, the Toshiba subsidiary said it would increase capital spending in the new fiscal year starting in April to expand capacity for power semiconductor devices at its main production base amid strong demand.
Toshiba Electronic Devices and Storage has earmarked an investment of 100 billion yen ($839 million) for fiscal 2022, about 45 percent higher than its estimate of 69 billion yen for fiscal 2021.
The funding will fund the construction of a new manufacturing facility at the site of production subsidiary Kaga Toshiba Electronics in Ishikawa Prefecture, which is scheduled to begin in spring 2023. It will also include the installation of a new production line within the existing structure. The upgrade is expected to increase Toshiba's power semiconductor production capacity by about 150 percent.
Power devices are used for power supply and control in electronic equipment, helping to reduce energy losses. Demand is increasing as efforts towards a carbon neutral society accelerate and vehicles are electrified.
The capacity expansion will cover not only power devices made from silicon wafers, but also next-generation chips using silicon carbide and gallium nitride as wafers.
Toshiba will also expand its investment in hard drives, another major product category. It has developed technology to increase storage capacity beyond 30 TB, or more than 70% above currently available levels, and is working on early commercialization.
Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage is envisioning the growth of hard disk drives for data centers and power equipment, and is urgently ramping up investment in both areas. To strengthen its focus, the segment restructured its operations in fiscal 2020, closing new developments in the system-on-a-chip business.
Toshiba has earmarked 290 billion yen to invest in the equipment business over the five years to fiscal 2025, compared with 150 billion yen in the previous five-year period. The group has used about 60% of its budget in the first two years of its current five-year term and will consider spending more if necessary.
The group has announced plans to split into three companies focused on infrastructure, equipment and semiconductor memory. But major shareholders have objected to this, and it is uncertain whether the spin-off will be realized.
