GlobalWafers said in a statement it expects total capital expenditure to reach 100 billion Taiwan dollars ($3.6 billion) between 2022 and 2024, including “significant investments in greenfield facilities” .
“While the failure of our offer for Siltronic is disappointing, we have pursued a two-track strategy since the very beginning of the tender offer,” CEO Doris Hsu said. “I’m very excited that we can now consider a wide range of options to advance technology development and build our capabilities.”
The expansion plan includes investments in Asia, Europe and the United States, the company said, without giving details.
The new production lines are expected to come into operation in the second half of next year, and be expanded quarterly, she said.
The failed acquisition comes as a global shortage of semiconductors has highlighted Europe’s dependence on Asian suppliers, prompting recent efforts to boost production on the continent.
Germany’s economy minister said it was not possible to complete all stages of the investment review, particularly the review of an antitrust clearance granted by China only last month .
On January 21, China’s market regulator said it would give its conditional approval to the acquisition.
Mr Hsu told reporters the deal lapsed because China’s decision came too late for Germany to take notice.
The deal would have created the second largest manufacturer of 300 millimeter wafers, behind Japan’s Shin-Etsu, as the semiconductor industry consolidates.
Germany is wary of changes to its high-tech supply network after automakers, one of its key sectors, were hit by the global chip shortage.
A recent takeover of a European semiconductor company by an Asian buyer has taken place: the purchase of Dialog Semiconductor by the Japanese Renesas Electronics Corp.
GlobalWafers secured a majority stake in Siltronic last year and initially hoped the deal would close in late 2021.
($1 = 0.8736 euros)
($1 = 27.7990 Taiwan dollars)