NJR and UMC Extends Collaboration to MEMS Microphone Manufacturing

HSINCHU, Aug. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- New Japan Radio Co., Ltd. (New JRC) and United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE: UMC; TSE: 2303) ("UMC"), a leading global semiconductor foundry, today announced that the two companies have successfully collaborated to achieve high-volume manufacturing for NJR's MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) microphone products. Adding UMC's MEMS manufacturing capabilities to NJR's Fukuoka and Kawagoe fabs will ensure NJR's smooth and scaled production ramp to address this rapidly growing market. To date, NJR has already surpassed 100 million shipments for MEMS microphone ICs.

Mr. Takaaki Murata, NJR Director & Manager of its corporate office said, "NJR's rapid growth in the MEMS microphone business cannot be achieved without UMC's close support, technical expertise and manufacturing capability. Porting MEMS devices to foundry is extremely difficult since MEMS ICs contain mechanical modules, which cannot be electronically simulated as semiconductor devices. UMC's superior process control expertise and manufacturing capability ensured a perfect performance match, equal to that of our own mother fab. With UMC's strong support, we expect NJR's MEMS shipments to continue its growth, enabling us to gain market share."

The MEMS microphone market is experiencing high growth, as conventional ECM (electro condenser microphone) is being phased out in favor of MEMS for today's most popular smartphones. To accommodate NJR's current and future MEMS growth and help NJR maintain a market leadership position in the sector, UMC expanded its MEMS manufacturing capacity and resources, positioning the foundry as NJR's joint process development center for future generations of high performance MEMS for microphones and other applications.

J H Shyu, senior vice president of Production and Operation Integration at UMC, commented, "NJR has been a wonderful UMC partner for many years. We have achieved several significant goals together, including the delivery of the world's lowest noise OpAmp to market. It is a great pleasure to add another important area of corroboration in the form of MEMS devices. . We look forward to continuing our partnership with NJR in both process technology and manufacturing to realize additional milestones in the future."

About UMC

UMC (NYSE: UMC, TWSE: 2303) is a leading global semiconductor foundry that provides advanced technology and manufacturing for applications spanning every major sector of the IC industry. UMC's robust foundry solutions allow chip designers to leverage the company's leading-edge processes, which include 28nm poly-SiON and gate-last High-K/Metal Gate technology, mixed signal/RFCMOS, and a wide range of specialty technologies. Production is supported through 10 wafer manufacturing facilities that include two advanced 300mm fabs; Fab 12A in Taiwan and Singapore-based Fab 12i. Fab 12A consists of Phases 1-4 which are in production for customer products down to 28nm. Construction has been completed for Phases 5&6, with future plans for Phases 7&8. The company employs over 15,000 people worldwide and has offices in Taiwan, mainland China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the United States. UMC can be found on the web at http://www.umc.com.

Note from UMC Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in the foregoing announcement are forward looking within the meaning of the U.S.  Federal Securities laws, including statements about future outsourcing, wafer capacity, technologies, business relationships and market conditions.  Investors are cautioned that actual events and results could differ materially from these statements as a result of a variety of factors, including conditions in the overall semiconductor market and economy; acceptance and demand for products from UMC; and technological and development risks. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in UMC's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its registration statements and reports on Forms F-1, F-3, F-6 and 20-F and 6-K, in each case as amended. UMC does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.

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SOURCE United Microelectronics Corporation