Analysis | November 16, 2023

China is beefing up its wafer capacity

Editor: Dennis Dahlgren

TrendForce has taken a deep dive into mainland China’s semiconductor manufacturing capacity, investigating the country's existing and future fab capacity.

According to TrendForce’s research, there are currently 15 wafer fabs and production lines in China manufacturing 8-inch wafers. Additionally, eight new 8-inch fabs are currently under construction, and there is one more planned.

And that’s just the 8-inch fabs. TrendForce states that there are altogether 44 fabs (12-inch, 8-inch and 6-inch wafer fabs and production lines) operating in the country. These are also set to be joined by 22 new fabs that are currently under construction (12-inch and 8-inch).

Overall, by the end of 2024, China aims to establish 32 large fabs, and all of them with a focus on mature processes.

Status	Company	Name	Location	Current capacity (10,000 pieces/month)	Planned capacity
Completed	SMIC	S1 (FAB1,2,3)	Shanghai	11.5	13.5
Completed	SMIC	FAB15	Shenzhen	4.4	7
Completed	SMIC	FAB7P2	Tianjin	9.5	18
Completed	SMIC Jingchen	-	Shaoxing	4.25	10
Completed	SMIC Ningbo	N1	Ningbo	4.25	10
Completed	SMIC Ningbo	N2	Ningbo	1.5	1.5
Completed	Huahong Group (Huali Semiconductor)	Fab1-3	Shanghai	17.8	18
Completed	Hua Run Microelectronics	-	Chingqing	5.7	6.2
Completed	Hua Run Microelectronics	Wafer Plant 2	Wuxi	7.8	14
Completed	Silan Micro (Silan Jixin)	Fab1	Hangzhou	3.5	4
Completed	Shanghai Xinxin	-	Shanghai	1.5	1.5
Completed	Texas Instruments*	-	Chengdu	5	5
Completed	TSMC	FAB10	Shanghai	3.5	3.5
Completed	Shanghai Advanced	-	Shanghai	2.3	2.3
Completed	UMC - Hejian Technology	-	Suzhou	10	10

Inventory of semiconductor fabs in mainland China (8-inch/200mm)

*Texas Instruments' fab in Chengdu manufactures both 8-inch and 12-inch.

Status	Company	Name	Location	Current capacity (10,000 pieces/month)	Planned capacity
Under construction	Huahong Group (Huali Microelectronics)	Fab9	Wuxi	0	8.3
Under construction	Sienidm	-	Qingdao	3	5
Under construction	Silan Micro (Silan Jixin)	Fab2	Hangzhou	3.6	4
Under construction	Jita Semiconductor	-	Shanghai	0	6
Under construction	Yandong Microelectronics	-	Beijing	3	5
Under construction	Smeic	-	Beijing	0.5	3
Planned	Zkjx	-	Chengdu	-	-
Under construction	Huawei Technologies	-	Jilin	0.5	2
Under construction	Haichen Semiconductor	-	Wuxi	1	10.5

Inventory of future semiconductor fabs in mainland China (8-inch/200mm)

*Huahong Group (Huali Microelectronics) future fab in Wuxi will manufacture both 8-inch and 12-inch.

Looking through TrendForce's research it becomes clear that SMIC is by far the company with the most existing capacity, as well as the company with the most projects currently under construction and planned capacity for the future.

China's mature process capacity is expected to increase from 29% this year to 33% by 2027, owing to policies and incentives promoting domestic production and IC development – and SMIC, HuaHong Group, and Nexchip are leading the effort.

Status	Company	Name	Location	Current capacity (10,000 pieces/month)	Planned capacity
Completed	SMIC	SN1	Shanghai	1.5	3.5
Completed	SMIC	B1(FAB4,6)	Beijing	5.2	6
Completed	SMIC	B2A, B2B	Beijing	6.2	10
Completed	SMIC	FAB16A	Shenzhen	0	4
Completed	Huahong Group (Huali Semiconductor)	Fab5	Shanghai	3.5	3.5
Completed	Huahong Group (Huali Semiconductor)	Fab6	Shanghai	3	4
Completed	Huahong Group (Huali Semiconductor)	Fab7	Wuxi	2.5	8
Completed	Hua Run Microelectronics	-	Chonqing	2	3.5
Completed	Nexchip	N1,N2	Hefei	4	4
Completed	YMTC	Fab2	Wuhan	0	10
Completed	YMTC	Fab3	Wuhan	0	10
Completed	Heifei Changxin	Fab1	Heifei	4	12.5
Completed	XMCWH	Fab1	Wuhan	2.5	2.5
Completed	XMCWH	Fab2	Wuhan	2.5	11.5
Completed	Silan Micro (Silan Jixin)	Fab1	Xiamen	4	8
Completed	Wen Tai-Anshi Semiconductor	-	Shanghai	3	10
Completed	Ferrotec	-	Hangzhou	5	5
Completed	Fujian Jinhua	F1-F2	Quanzhou	0	6
Completed	Samsung	Fabx1	Xian	12	12
Completed	Samsung	Fabx2	Xian	8	20
Completed	Intel	Fabx68 Phase 2	Dalian	4	4
Completed	SK Hynix	HC1	Wuxi	10	10
Completed	SK Hynix	HC2	Wuxi	10	20
Completed	Texas Instruments*	-	Chengdu	5	5
Completed	TSMC	NjFab16	Nanjing	2	2
Completed	UMC Xiamen	FAB12x	Xiamen	2	5

Inventory of semiconductor fabs in mainland China (12-inch/300mm)

*Texas Instruments' fab in Chengdu manufactures both 8-inch and 12-inch.

Status	Company	Name	Location	Current capacity (10,000 pieces/month)	Planned capacity
Under construction	SMIC	SN2	Shanghai	0	3.5
Under construction	SMIC East	-	Shanghai	0	10
Under construction	SMIC	B3P1	Beijing	0	10
Under construction	SMIC	FAB16B	Shenzhen	0	10
Under construction	SMIC Xiqing	-	Tianjin	0	10
Under construction	SMIC Jingcheng	-	Shaoxing	0	1
Planned	SMIC	-	Beijing	0	5
Planned	SMIC	-	Beijing	0	5
Planned	SMIC	-	Beijing	0	5
Planned	Huahon Group (Huali Microelectronics)	Fab8	Wuxi	0	4
Planned	Huahon Group (Huali Microelectronics)	Fab9	Wuxi	0	8.3
Under construction	Hua Run Microelectronics	-	Shenzhen	0	48
Planned	Nexchip	N3	Hefei	0	4
Planned	Nexchip	N4	Hefei	0	4
Under construction	YMTC	Fab1	Wuhan	5	10
Planned	Hefei Changxin/ GigaDevice	-	Hefei	0	12.5
Under construction	Tsinghua Unigroup	CD	Chengdu	0	30
Under construction	Yue Xin Semiconductor	Phase 3	Guangzhou	2	4
Under construction	Zenith Silicon	Nansha Project	Guangzhou	2	6
Under construction	Sienidm	Phase 2	Qingdao	3	8
Planned	Silan Micro (Silan Jike)	Fab2	Xiamen	0	8
Under construction	Jita Semiconductor	Lingang Phase 2	Shanghai	0	5
Planned	Silergy	-	Qingdao	0	4
Under construction	Cqaos	CQ	Chongqing	5	7

Inventory of future semiconductor fabs in mainland China (12-inch/300mm)

TrendForce further states that according to statistics, China currently operates 31 fabs in 12-inch – including those under construction with fixed capacity for 12-inch. The total monthly capacity is approximately 1.189 million wafers according to the researchers. However, these fabs have “more in the tank” in terms of capacity utilisation – which leaves room for expansion.

“Considering construction and future planning, it is anticipated that China will add 24 fabs in 12-inch in the next five years, with a planned monthly capacity of 2.223 million wafer capacity. Assuming all planned 12-inch wafer foundries achieve full production, by the end of 2026, the total monthly capacity of 12-inch in China will exceed 4.14 million wafer capacity, marking a 248.19% increase compared to the current capacity utilization rate,” TrendForce writes in the report.