February 21, 2012

SilTerra Aims to Grow in Step with Industry 

SEMICONDUCTOR wafer maker Silterra Malaysia Sdn Bhd is aiming for a growth of up to 12 per cent this year, in tandem with the industry's growth forecast. 

"The company targets a growth of between seven and 12 per cent this year," said its chief executive offi-cer Dr Kamarulzaman Mohamed Zin. 

He said the global electrical & electronics (E&E) industry is valued at US$300 billion (RM906 billion) a year. In Malaysia, the E&E industry is a leading sector in manufacturing industry, contributing significantly to the country's manufacturing output (31 per cent), exports (48.7 per cent) and employment (33.7 per cent). 

Yesterday, the firm teamed up with Mimos Bhd to produce power management integrated circuit (PowerMOS) wafers. 

Under the pact, Silterra, a unit of Khazanah Nasional Bhd, will provide technical support for a successful technology transfer of power management integrated circuit platform to Mimos, which in turn will manufacture PowerMOS wafers for Silterra. 

Speaking to reporters after the launch of PowerMOS, Kamarulzaman said the tie-up will reduce Silterra's production dependency on foreign countries like Japan and China. 

The production of the PowerMOS at Mimos' state-of-the-art wafer fabrication facility would enable Silterra to increase its production capacity to serve the growing global market. 

"We aim to produce between 2,000 and 3,000 PowerMOS every month," Kamarulzaman said. 

Silterra, which is in talks with potential investors, has a 21 per cent global market share worth about RM500 million in display driver integrated circuits. All are for the foreign market. 

Also present were Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Mimos chief operating officer Abd Aziz Abd Kadir. 

When asked to comment on Khazanah Nasional, which was reportedly in talks with potential strategic investors to assist Silterra, which had been reporting losses until about three years ago, Kamarulzaman said the company is now leveraging on its capability. 

"What we are doing now is make full use of what we have and the trick is to have the ability to hunt (innovate)," he said. 

Source: New Straits Times