Vanguard International Semiconductor Co. (Taiwan, China)

Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation (VIS) is a leading specialty IC foundry service provider. Since its founding in December 1994 in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan, VIS has been achieving continuous success in its technology development and production efficiency improvement. VIS has also been consistently offering its customers cost-effective solutions and high value-added services. VIS is a spin-off of the Sub-Micron Project, sponsored by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI). Original investors include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC) and 13 other institutional investors. VIS was founded with the primary focuses on the production and development of DRAM and other memory IC. In March 1998, VIS became a listed company on the Taiwan Over-The-Counter Stock Exchange (OTC). Its main shareholders include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC), National Development Fund and other institutional investors. In 1999, VIS started to work as a subcontractor for TSMC for the manufacturing of logic and mixed signal products. In 2000, VIS officially announced its plan to transform from a DRAM manufacturer into a foundry service provider. In February 2004, VIS completely terminated its DRAM production and became a pure-play foundry company. Also, in order to improve our overall financial structure and to strengthen our operational capabilities, we completed our capital restructuring process by October 2004 and decreased our paid-in capital from NT$28.2 billion to NT$14.6 billion. In 2007, VIS announced the procurement of 8 fabs from Winbond. With this acquisition, VIS unleashed the growth momentum, accommodated customers' demands in capacity and technology, and provided a more comprehensive solution portfolio for our customers. VIS has continued its investment in the product development and process technology for the market needs. VIS offers a wide range of process technologies, including High Voltage, Ultra High Voltage, Bipolar CMOS DMOS (BCD), Discrete, SOI (Silicon on Insulator), Logic, Mixed-Signal, Analog, High Precision Analog, and Embedded Memory to further help increase its foundry customers’ global competitiveness. In order to enhance its IP service capability, VIS has continued its IP development by strengthening strategic relationship with its IP provision partners. Currently available IPs are standard cell library, SRAM, one-time programmable, multiple-time programmable, and electrical fuse. With the help from strategic IP partners, VIS can also provide IPs that are required by specialty ICs. Besides the display-related ICs, analog ICs (especially power management) and mixed-signal ICs are in the core of VIS competence. As the customer base spreading from fabless semiconductor companies to Integrated Devices Manufacturers, our business in high-voltage analog, power management, and power devices will expand accordingly. VIS will continue to focus on technology development to secure our position as the leading specialty IC foundry service provider while partnering with our customers.