The world's largest contract maker of microchips, TSMC, is to sell standardised semiconductors alongside its made-to-order chips, its chief executive said in comments published on Wednesday.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Rick Tsai said the company would offer customers standard chip designs or "cores" using advanced technology.
The company will work with its customers to make it easier for them to redesign its basic chips in a process known as "design for manufacturing" or DFM. "Up to now, we have been working with a few companies in a prototype manner, and we provide these DFM solutions to them individually," Tsai was quoted as saying.
"But that is not very user-friendly. We need to put them into a package, so a lot more customers can get access and be able to use it."
TSMC benefited from strong pre-Christmas demand for electronics.
On December 8, the company reported record sales for a third straight month in November, showing a 31 per cent rise from a year earlier. Its production lines are working at full capacity to make chips for products such as game consoles, flat-panel televisions and cell phones.
The Netherlands' Philips Electronics NV owns nearly one-fifth of TSMC.
{{/usCountry}}The Netherlands' Philips Electronics NV owns nearly one-fifth of TSMC.
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