Micron Taps Taiwanese Contractors for Global Fab Buildout as Capex Rivals Top Construction Firms

Micron Technology is directing a global manufacturing expansion spanning the U.S., Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and India, with Taiwan Micron Chairman Lu Tung-hui saying on Thursday the company's construction spending over the next few years could rank among the world's top five contractors if major Chinese firms are excluded. Lu named Taiwanese partners already working on overseas Micron sites, including Asia Shoji (6139-TW), Marketech (6196-TW), United Integrated Services (2404-TW), Yankee Engineering (6691-TW) and CTCI (9933-TW). Marketech is handling tool installation in Boise; Asia Shoji was referred to Singapore for an advanced wafer fab; United Integrated previously consulted on a Hiroshima plant; CTCI is building wafer-test facilities in Singapore. Micron is simultaneously constructing or retrofitting sites in Taoyuan, Taichung, Tongluo and Tainan, plus Boise, Syracuse, Japan, Singapore and India. Lu said labor shortages among electricians, welders, pipefitters and tool-integration engineers, along with tight supplies of high-purity gas piping and cleanroom equipment, are the biggest constraints, and urged Taiwanese suppliers to expand abroad alongside Micron.