Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2001/03/27/quake_rocks_hiroshima_fab/

Quake rocks Hiroshima fab

DRAM supply disrupted, but so what?

By Tony Smith

Posted in Channel, 27th March 2001 09:49 GMT

NEC's DRAM fab in Hiroshima was shut down yesterday after the site was hit by an earthquake.

The company said the site was closed to allow chip-making equipment to be checked for damage, and that - assuming no significant problems were encountered - the plant would be up and running at full production next week.

Not that NEC is exactly pressed for time. The plant produces 128Mb SDRAM for NEC/Hitachi joint venture Elpida, but with more DRAM out there than there is demand for it, no one is likely to be too worried about the loss of production.

Flat out, the plant can produce 30,000 8in/20cm wafers each month, which is a lot of unwanted SDRAM. ®