Bailout blues
Here's the big question: Will Taiwan's DRAM makers survive?
There appears to be a potential bidding war--or bailout--for loss-ridden, Taiwan DRAM maker ProMOS Technology Corp.
There are conflicting reports in the DRAM market in Asia. According to one report, Japanese DRAM maker Elpida Memory Inc. appears to be involved in talks to buy Taiwan's Powerchip Semiconductor Corp. and ProMOS.
''In recent days we are hearing that Micron is involved in the potential bailout of ProMOS by the Taiwanese government. A possible scenario is that Micron would give ProMOS access to its stack technology, which would lower ProMOS's opex but would give Micron a technology licensing agreement that could be similar to that which was signed with Nanya,'' said Amir, referring to Micron's joint DRAM venture with Taiwan's Nanya Technology Corp.
Seeking to cut costs amid a deep memory downturn, Hynix in December said it would slash its workforce and trim executive salaries, according to reports. The company is also cutting its DRAM production by 20-30 percent. And it is selling the equipment from its shuttered fab in Oregon to rash cash.
To maintain its operations in the form of a rescue package, Hynix will obtain 800 billion won ($598 million) in bank loans from its shareholders.
The governments in Taiwan and Germany--and possibly Korea--may seek to bail-out the failing DRAM makers in those nations, but an analyst warned that such an action would be a ''disaster'' for the industry as a whole. It would just prolong the downturn.
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