Osram expands production of high-performance LEDs
While expanding the scale of the two chip manufacturing plants, Osram Opto Semiconductors also upgraded them to 6-inch wafer manufacturing bases, thereby significantly increasing output. Among them, the Penang base in Malaysia is building a production building, while the Regensburg base in Germany is redistributing the existing plant. Both bases will adopt new manufacturing technologies and introduce 6-inch wafers to replace the current 4-inch wafers. After taking these measures, by the end of 2012, the output of white LED chips is expected to double.
Through this series of measures, Osram Opto Semiconductors will take advantage of the growth potential of the international LED market to expand the production capacity of its two chip manufacturing bases in Regensburg and Penang, further consolidating its leading position in the international market. The Penang chip manufacturing plant has been opened for less than two years, and now it has a good time to expand and upgrade to a 6-inch wafer manufacturing base. The total plant area will rise to 25,000 square meters by 2012 and 400 new jobs will be added. At the Regensburg site, the available space will be re-planned, and the InGaN (Indium Gallium Nitride) production will be gradually upgraded as early as the summer of 2011.
Mr. Aldo Kamper, CEO of Osram Opto Semiconductors, said: "By expanding the production capacity of high-performance InGaN chips, we are continuing to consolidate our market position. The LED market has great growth potential in many different application areas, and we will continue to use it. This driving force continues to grow. OSRAM Opto Semiconductors is an important link in the value-added chain of OSRAM’s LED technology."
This capacity expansion will mainly affect InGaN chips using thin film and UX:3 technology, which are necessary for the production of white LEDs. In the future, these chips will be manufactured on 6-inch wafers from the beginning, instead of being based on the current 4-inch diameter wafers.
