Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc (ASE, 日月光半導體), the world’s biggest chip packager and tester, on Friday announced a 3 to 5 percent pay raise for workers at the company’s plants in Kaohsiung’s Nantze Export Processing Zone (楠梓加工出口區) and Taoyuan’s Jhongli District (中壢) this year, joining a slew of local companies in increasing employee payrolls.
ASE is to also give away an extra bonus of NT$10,000 to rank-and-file employees at its Kaohsiung headquarters, the company announced at its annual banquet, or weiya (尾牙) party, for employees.
The wage hikes came after ASE saw revenue increase 5.66 percent to NT$290.44 billion (US$9.87 billion) last year, compared with NT$274.88 billion in 2016.
Automotive components maker Hota Industrial Manufacturing Co (和大工業) also announced on Friday at its weiya party that employees are to get a pay increase of 5 percent, along with Lunar New Year bonuses equivalent to between three and three-and-a-half months of their salary.
Meanwhile, optical lens maker Kinko Optical Co (今國光) on Saturday said that it will increase employees’ pay by 3 percent, beginning from this month.
Food and beverage chain La Kaffa International Co (六角國際) on Wednesday said the company plans a 3 to 10 percent wage hike for employees this year, with year-end bonuses of up to 12 times their monthly salary after revenue jumped 19.25 percent to a record-high NT$2.498 billion last year.
The companies’ wage hikes are mostly in line with an average 4.09 percent increase in employee salaries by local firms, according to a survey released by manpower agency 104 Job Bank (104人力銀行) on Jan. 8. The average wage hikes marked the biggest jump in three years, the job bank said.
Speaking to employees at the weiya party, ASE chairman Jason Chang (張虔生) said he is grateful for their contributions to the company over the past year, and that is why ASE wants to show its gratitude to them.
The company has also decided to establish a kindergarten in Nantze, hoping it will improve the lives of its employees and their children, Chang said, adding that the idea has won backing from the Kaohsiung City Government.
The kindergarten is scheduled to begin construction later this year and become operational next year, he said.
ASE is also committed to increasing its investment in cutting-edge technologies this year to enhance its global competitiveness, Chang said, adding that the company is focusing on artificial intelligence, automotive electronics, Internet of Things and high-performance computing technologies.
The company hires about 17,000 employees, its annual report showed.
ASE and its rival Siliconware Precision Industries Co Ltd (SPIL, 矽品精密) are scheduled to hold their extraordinary general meeting on Feb. 12 to get shareholders’ approval for their merger and the establishment of a holding company, ASE Industrial Holding Co (日月光投資控股).
ASE has said it plans to expand its R&D and production facilities in Kaohsiung and keep its advanced assembly technology in Taiwan, as Chinese players are rapidly catching up.
Additional reporting by Kuo Chia-erh
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) has approved a capital budget of US$31.28 billion for production expansion to meet long-term development needs during the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. The company’s board meeting yesterday approved the capital appropriation plan for purposes such as the installation of advanced technology capacity and fab construction, the world’s largest contract chipmaker said in a statement. At an earnings conference last month, TSMC forecast that its capital expenditure for this year would be at the higher end of the US$52 billion to US$56 billion range it forecast in January in response to robust demand for 5G, AI and
NEW MARKET: The partnership opens up India to the Dutch company, which already has a strong hold in the semiconductor market of South Korea, Taiwan and China ASML Holding NV entered into a partnership agreement with Tata Electronics Pvt Ltd aimed at ramping up India’s goal to develop domestic chip-manufacturing capabilities. The Dutch company’s technology would help power Tata Electronics’ planned 300 millimeter (mm) semiconductor foundry in Gujarat, according to a joint statement from the two companies on Saturday. The signing of a memorandum of understanding coincides with a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Netherlands, which is looking to deepen bilateral relations with New Delhi. ASML, whose top customers include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) and Samsung Electronics Co, makes lithography machines that can print
PORTFOLIO REBALANCING: The adjustments in three global equity indices reflect rising investor appetite for semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related stocks Taiwan’s weighting in major global equity indices compiled by MSCI Inc is to rise modestly following the latest quarterly review, underscoring the market’s expanding role in emerging-market portfolios, as global investors continue to favor the nation’s technology sector. Taiwan’s weighting in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index is to increase by 0.30 percentage points to 23.76 percent, after the changes take effect at the close of the May 29 session. Its weighting in the MSCI All-Country Asia ex-Japan Index is to rise 0.37 percentage points to 27.16 percent, while that in the MSCI All Country World Index is to edge up slightly to
The Hsinchu County Government’s Labor Affairs Department yesterday said that it has received a plan from cosmetics brand Taiwan Shiseido Co (台灣資生堂) detailing mass layoffs at its plant in Hukou Township (湖口). While the labor authorities did not disclose the number of employees to be laid off, Japanese news media earlier in the day reported that the closure of the company’s factory in Hukou would result in 170 employees losing their jobs. Shiseido followed the law by reporting its layoff plan, the department said, adding that authorities would closely monitor negotiations between the management and affected employees and step in if any
RSS