Vanguard's Singapore 12-inch chip plant opens, second phase planned
Vanguard International Semiconductor's new Singapore plant is already sold out, a good sign for the company and its partner NXP.
- The plant, a joint venture with Dutch chipmaker NXP, opened this week with its full output already booked by customers.
- Management said the two should have built two plants at once; customers are now asking for a second phase, and planning has started.
- Test wafers came out with yields above 99%, with mass production set for early 2027 and full output by 2029.
- The chips are older-generation parts for power management, phones and cars, not cutting-edge AI logic, but demand is strong anyway.
- For NXP this is its biggest investment in over a decade and a bet on spreading chip supply outside Taiwan.
Outlook: A second plant is likely to be approved sooner than planned, possibly with more advanced technology, and profits should arrive ahead of schedule.