Powertech Technology (PTI), a Taiwan-based provider of memory packaging/testing service, has stepped into logic ICs for three years and will focus its business operation on logic and flash ICs, according to company chairman Tsai Duh-kung.

PTI has invested more than NT$1.0 billion (US$32 million) in setting up laboratories to develop logic IC packaging technology, Tsai said. PTI has successfully developed several new packaging technologies for logic ICs, with RDL (redistribution line) coming into initial production, wafer-level packaging in competition for orders, copper pillar bump packaging service already provided for handset vendors, Tsai pointed out. In addition, PTI has cooperated with 3-4 clients in TSV (through silicon via) packaging and plans to start volume production in 2013, Tsai indicated.

Since the new technologies are expected to begin contribution to PTI at the earliest in 2013, PTI will considerably rely on other product lines in the interim and therefore has acquired Greatek Electronics to provide packaging/testing service for low- and mid-level logic ICs, Tsai pointed out.

Viewing that many IDMs, including Texas Instruments, Renesas Electronics and Freescale Semiconductor, have not yet outsourced packaging/testing service but have not added investment for in-house packaging/testing capacities, so they are expected to release such orders, Tsai pointed out.