Taiwan IC industry posts 35.7 percent growth

Taiwan's IC industry, which includes design, manufacturing, packaging and testing, has posted a production value of NT$233.30 billion ($6.86 billion at NT$34:$1) in the third quarter of this year, an increase of 35.7 percent from the same period of last year, according to Taiwan Semiconductor Ind. Association (TSIA) President Gordon Chen.

The IC design industry totaled NT$50 billion ($1.47 billion), up by 38.2 percent from the same period of 2002. The manufacturing sector has improved by 36.7 percent, reaching NT$130.9 billion ($3.85 billion). The packaging sector generated NT$31.5 billion ($0.93 billion), for a 27.8 percent growth. Meanwhile, the testing sector created NT$11 billion ($0.32 billion), for a 36.1 percent rise.

Chen stated that the growth in the IC industry last quarter came from the increasing demand of chips in DVD players, digital still cameras, digital TV receivers, drivers and controllers for LCD panels, and niched memory chips designed for VGA graphic cards.

TSIA predicts revenue of Taiwan's IC industry in the fourth quarter of 2003 will reach NT$256.60 billion ($7.46 billion), an increase of 14.6 percent over the third quarter of 2003.