Toshiba, Sony, SCE Sign to Launch JV

[Shiba-Kun]

Kinda esoteric ish, I know. But it shows that even if they were rivals in the B-R/HD-DVD wars, when there's a chance to make money together then that kinda stuff can be pushed aside.




Toshiba, Sony, SCE Sign to Launch JV
Feb 21, 2008 18:47
Junichi Ooshita, Nikkei Microdevices


Toshiba Corp, Sony Corp and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc (SCE) signed an official agreement to form a new joint venture company specializing in the production of LSIs for use in SCE game consoles.

In addition to the LSIs in game machines, such as the Cell Broadband Engine microprocessor and the RSX image processor, the new company will manufacture the advanced system-on-chip (SoC) LSIs for use in Toshiba's digital consumer electronics. The three companies reached a basic agreement on the venture in October 2007 (See related article).

300mm wafer line purchased for ¥90 billion

Following the official agreement, the three parties announced the details of the new venture company. The company, to be named later, will start operation from April 1, 2008 at the Nagasaki Technology Center of Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corp (SCK), a fully-owned subsidiary of Sony. It will be 60% owned by Toshiba, and Sony and SCE will each take a 20% stake.

The above details are in line with the basic agreement, but the parties made two new statements. First, they explicitly announced that the new company will produce SoC LSIs for Toshiba's digital consumer electronics. Second, it was revealed that Toshiba paid approximately ¥90 billion (US$833 million) for the 300mm wafer line that will be rented to the new company. Toshiba purchased this line from Sony and SCK in fiscal 2007. The line was installed in SCK's Nagasaki Technology Center Fab2.

The new company plans to start with the 65nm process and then shift to the 45nm process mass production in cooperation with Toshiba Oita Plant. The schedule for the launch of mass production has yet to be announced.