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ProMOS sells Hynix shares

ProMOS Technologies Inc (茂德科技), the nation’s third-largest computer memory chipmaker, said yesterday it had sold a 8.6 percent stake to South Korean chipmaker Hynix Semiconductor Inc for NT$3.46 billion (US$109.8 million) through private placement.

Hynix bought 576 million ProMOS common share at NT$6 a share via Korea Exchange Bank Co Ltd. ProMOS will soon arrange a seat for Hynix on its 11-member board, company spokeswoman Jessie Peng (彭卓蘭) said by telephone.

ProMOS said in May that it planned to start using Hynix’s 50 nanometer technology to produce chips by the end of the year, or early next year.

Four injured at TSMC site

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest custom-chip maker, said four workers were injured when they fell from the second floor of a chip factory construction site.

One worker had surgery, another is awaiting surgery and a third was being treated for broken bones, TSMC spokesman Michael Kramer said yesterday. A fourth worker has been released from hospital, he said.

TSMC doesn’t expect any impact on the construction schedule of the factory, which is being built in Hsinchu, and doesn’t see any liability from the incident, Kramer said. He declined to comment further on the extent of the injuries.

The workers were moving a power transformer for ABB Ltd at the time, Kramer said. All four are Taiwanese and were employed by a local firm contracted by ABB, he said.

German agents hunt pirates

German customs agents swarmed through the IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin shortly after the expo opened yesterday, hunting for non-payers of royalties.

Major targets appeared to be Asian electronics makers.

The raids were led by Berlin prosecutors.

There were similar raids at the CeBIT electronics fair in Hanover in March. Many of the allegations involve patented software in the digital devices. The patent owners expect royalties or fees every time the software is used.

Norbert Scheithauer, a Berlin-region spokesman for the German customs service, said 220 agents had been deployed to raid about 50 booths at IFA and would continue their work until last night.

A German online news service, FAZ.net, said the Taiwan Image Hall, where top Taiwanese designs were shown, was a target.

Agents brought cartons and took away TV sets, receivers for terrestrial digital video broadcasting (DVB-T) and MP3 players.

Investment applications pass

The Investment Commission yesterday approved China Steel Corp’s (中國鋼鐵) application to invest US$292.74 million in its plant located in the suburbs of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The plant is scheduled for commercial operation in 2011, the company says on its Web site.

The commission also approved Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp’s (奇美電子) application for outward remittance of US$60 million to increase its investment in its subsidiaries in Nanhai, China.

The commission also greenlighted Chi Mei Corp’s (奇美實業) application for outward remittance of US$92.95 million to increase its investment in Chi Mei Chemical Co (奇美化工) in Zhenjiang, China, along with two other Chinese companies.

The commission approved Netherlands-based W.P.V. Holding BV’s application for inward remittance of NT$790 million to purchase new shares from Gsharp Corp (浩緯實業) and to acquire 100 percent of shares in Cable-Giant Catv Co (大新店民主有線電視) through indirect investment.


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