Sony announced plan to establish semiconductor R&D center in Taiwan
E021123X5・E021113X5 Dec. 2002（E40）
On November 22 Sony announced concurrently in Taiwan and in Japan that it is to establish a semiconductor R&D center in Taiwan under the name Innovative LSI and Module Design R&D Center, which will serve as Sony's semiconductor center on LSI (Large Scale Integration) & module research and design. It is expected to invest a total of NT$3 billion within the three years to come.
The newly established semiconductor R&D center will be focused on developing portable electronics such as mobile phone, PDA and notebook, as well as the display module and LSI thereof.
Sony will mass-produce its R&D results by taking advantage of the robust semiconductor OEM industry in Taiwan. The core of Sony's purchase thereafter will be semiconductor-related, and Sony's purchase from Taiwan for the following three years is expected to exceed NT$100 billion. Presently, Sony mainly purchases from Taiwan PS2 consoles, computer peripherals, notebooks, modems, IC, and LCD monitors. Sony's yearly purchase is conservatively estimated at over one billion NT dollars.
Sony has already set up an Information Products R&D Headquarters in Taiwan, which will also join into the R&D of IT and IA products.
