The website ImageSensorWorld catched an interesting news via Businessweek.
Sony has the plan to double its image sensor production! That’s why they will invest $1.2B in the next financial year to convert a plant in Nagasaki for the production of CMOS sensors. After that the total production of CCD and CMOS sensors will increase to 50,000 300mm wafers a month by March 2012. Hey Sony, what will you do with all that CMOS sensors? Are those meant for the new NEX-7, A77, A750, A950 we were long waiting for? ;)
And here is the official Sony press release:
“Sony Corporation (“Sony”) today announced that Sony plans to invest approximately 100 billion yen in Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation’s Nagasaki Technology Center (“Nagasaki TEC”) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, to increase the production capacity for CMOS image sensors.
This investment plan includes (i) the transfer of the semiconductor fabrication facilities from Toshiba Corporation (“Toshiba”) contemplated under a non-binding memorandum of understanding between Sony and Toshiba jointly announced on December 24, 2010, (ii) refurbishment of a part of the above semiconductor fabrication facilities into new wafer lines capable of manufacturing CMOS image sensors, and (iii) refurbishment and equipment of a part of production facilities at Nagasaki TEC Building 3 for wafer processing to differentiate Sony’s CMOS image sensors with Sony’s independently developed unique technologies. Through the investment plan, Sony will utilize a governmental subsidy to be provided by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan – the “subsidy for programs to promote siting low-carbon job-creating industries” – mainly in connection with the investment mentioned in (iii) above.“
The Japanese website 