ASE and Compeq announced a plan on October 28, 2003, to invest more than US$800 million in IC-substrate capacity over five years. The figure was a forecast for planned investment—not confirmation that the money was ultimately spent. The announcement proposed a 60%-40% joint venture, initially based at Compeq’s Ta Yuan plant.
What did the $800 million plan cover?
ASE said it and the proposed joint venture expected to invest more than US$800 million in expanding IC-substrate capacity over the next five years. EE Times reported the same planned amount and timeframe when covering the announcement on October 28, 2003. These were expectations announced in 2003; neither source establishes that the full amount was spent. ASE’s announcement and EE Times’ contemporaneous report describe the plan.
How was the proposed venture structured?
The companies proposed a joint venture tentatively named ASE-Compeq Technologies, Inc. ASE proposed to own 60% and Compeq 40%. Its initial production was to use capacity at Compeq’s Ta Yuan plant, with ASE and its packaging customers as the primary customer focus. The announcement said expansion to other locations would be considered after Ta Yuan reached full utilization.
Why combine ASE’s and Compeq’s operations?
ASE presented the arrangement as a way to pair its advanced packaging technology and customer base with Compeq’s experience and capacity in substrate manufacturing. The stated business rationale was to add substrate production to a more integrated semiconductor backend offering. ASE attributed this explanation to chairman Jason Chang in its announcement.
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What is known about the plan’s outcome?
The 2003 announcement and contemporaneous coverage establish what the companies proposed, but they do not establish the venture’s later status or whether the planned investment was completed. The $800 million figure should therefore be understood as an announced five-year investment expectation, not a verified spending total.
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