Nanya Technology Corp (南亞科技), the nation’s second-largest maker of computer memory chips, said yesterday it was still in discussions with US partner Micron Technology Inc over a proposal for government assistance to ride out the industry’s worst-ever downturn.
Nanya’s move garnered attention after bigger rival Powerchip Semiconductor Corp (力晶半導體) submitted a consolidation plan involving its Japanese partner Elpida Memory Inc and their joint venture Rexchip Electronics Inc last week, hoping to obtain a capital injection from the government by selling a stake.
“We are still [in the stage of] discussion,” Nanya spokesman Pai Pei-lin (白培霖) said over the phone.
When asked weather Nanya would propose a merger with smaller DRAM maker ProMOS Technologies Inc (茂德科技) to cope with the government’s push for industrial consolidation, Pai said: “We will focus on enhancing the competitiveness of Taiwan’s DRAM [dynamic random access memory] industry rather than [targeting] any single company.”
Media have been speculating that Nanya may propose a merger with ProMOS to help it transform into a non-DRAM company making NAND, another type of memory chip, using Micron’s technology.
This would help the company reach the government’s goal of reducing the number of local DRAM players as well as obtaining advanced technologies for Taiwanese firms.
“We are evaluating all kinds of options,” Pai said in response to the speculation.
Dutch brewing company Heineken NV yesterday said that it has reached an agreement to acquire a subsidiary brewery of Taiwan’s Sanyo Whisbih Group (三洋維士比集團). Heineken is to assume majority ownership and management rights of the Long Chuan Zuan Co (龍泉鑽興業) brewery in Pingtung County’s Neipu Township (內埔), the Dutch company said. It would become the first multinational brewing company to operate brewery in Taiwan once the acquisition is completed. The deal has been approved by the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Investment Commission, but details of the financial transaction cannot be disclosed at this time, as terms of the settlement have not been completed,
WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY: Costco Wholesale said it expected the purchase of the remaining 45 percent stake to add 1 to 1.5 percent to its earnings per share US-based Costco Wholesale Corp on Thursday said that it had purchased the remaining 45 percent stake in Costco President Taiwan Inc (台灣好市多) for US$1.05 billion, making the local company a fully-owned unit. “We estimate that the purchase would add about 1 to 1.5 percent to [our] earnings per share,” Costco said in a statement. Costco President Taiwan was established as a joint venture with Kaohsiung-based President Group (大統集團), which held a 45 percent stake. Since the first Costco store opened in Kaohsiung in 1997, 14 outlets have been set up in Taiwan, company data showed. PROFITABLE Three Costco stores in Taiwan — in Taipei’s Neihu
MOBILITY SOLUTIONS: Tata Technologies’ participation marks more progress in Hon Hai’s efforts to expand its ecosystem through the platform, the Taiwanese firm said India’s Tata Technologies Ltd has become the latest member of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co’s (鴻海精密) MIH Open Platform to jointly develop sustainable mobility solutions for customers worldwide, the Taiwanese company said yesterday. It might include embedded and electrical, electric platform development and battery management system solutions, among others, Hon Hai said. Tata Technologies’ participation marks more progress in Hon Hai’s efforts to expand its electric-vehicle (EV) ecosystem through the MIH platform, it said. The open platform has about 2,380 members around the world, with an aim to jointly develop EV ecosystems and shrink the time to market for products. Hon Hai made the
Mobile phone chip designer MediaTek Inc (聯發科) plans to launch its first semiconductor chip facility in the US midwest with support from a state transition assistance package from the Indiana Economic Development Commission, the company said on Tuesday. MediaTek unveiled the new talent development initiative during the SelectUSA Investment Summit in National Harbor, Maryland, following in the steps of silicon wafer manufacturer GlobalWafers Co (環球晶圓), which on Monday announced an investment of US$5 billion for an advanced 12-inch factory in Texas. MediaTek said in a statement that it intends to form new research partnerships with Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, to