Dongbu Electronics planned to begin volume foundry production at its new South Korean fab in May 2001. Test-wafer processing was already under way, and a report five days later said the company had begun ramping production. The dates matter: this is a historical account, not a current update on Dongbu or its fabs.
When did Dongbu begin foundry production?
On April 19, 2001, EE Times reported that Dongbu Electronics was processing test wafers at a new 200-mm (8-inch) fab near Eumsung, South Korea, and planned to start volume production in May. On April 24, EDN reported that Dongbu had begun ramping a 0.25-micron CMOS process. The first report described an upcoming production start; the later one reported that production had begun.
Dongbu, part of South Korea’s Dongbu Group, was entering the silicon foundry business: manufacturing chips for other companies. Its stated ambition was to compete in a market that included TSMC and UMC globally, alongside Korean firms such as Anam, Hynix, and Samsung. Dongbu executive Peter Hillen said the immediate goal was to reach the “second-tier” and compete with companies such as Chartered; that was the company’s positioning, not an independent industry ranking.
What technology and capacity did the fab have?
Contemporaneous reports described Toshiba technology as the foundation for Dongbu’s initial processes. The April coverage listed 0.25-, 0.18-, and 0.13-micron CMOS processes. Toshiba was also described as an investor and intended foundry customer, and Dongbu received access to an analog, logic, and I/O design cell library. The reports put Toshiba’s investment at $50 million over two years.
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EE Times described the 8-inch fab as capable of a maximum 45,000 wafers per month. That was reported capacity, not evidence that the plant was producing that volume. Dongbu CEO Sin Hyuk Han said the company was ready to ramp to 20,000 wafers per month in 2001 and 45,000 per month in 2002 as market conditions improved. Those were announced targets; the April coverage also said weak demand meant the fab would not initially run at full capacity.
What was known about process qualification and customers?
A September 5 follow-up reported that Dongbu had qualified Toshiba’s 0.25-micron mixed-signal CMOS process in the fab and expected to qualify a 0.18-micron process in October. COO Wesley Min said test wafers combining logic, analog, and memory functions passed a 1,000-hour burn-in test, with more than 80% of devices at good yield. That yield result was attributed to the company and was not presented as an independently audited benchmark.
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- ✨✅ Super corrosion resistance: - Resist acid, alkali, molten metal erosion, prolong equipment life, reduce maintenance costs.
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The April reports said first wafer shipments were going to an unidentified U.S. fabless chip company. They also mentioned a Korean fabless customer and Toshiba as additional customers or recipients in company statements, but did not name the customers. The available reporting therefore establishes a planned customer mix, not the identities of all customers or the amount of production each received.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What expansion did Dongbu announce?
In June 2001, EE Times reported that Dongbu had started foundry services and broken ground for a planned 300-mm fab. The company’s managers were quoted as putting second-round financing at $310 million and total capitalization at $750 million. They described a planned investment of $2.5 billion to $3 billion for the 300-mm facility, with an opening targeted for mid-2004. These were plans reported at the time; the June article does not establish that the project was completed or opened on schedule.
The reporting captures an early step in Dongbu’s effort to establish itself as a foundry: a new 8-inch fab, Toshiba-derived process technology, and ambitious production and expansion targets. It does not document the company’s present corporate identity or fab operations, nor does it verify that every announced target was achieved.
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