AEI

ASIA ELECTRONICS INDUSTRYYOUR WINDOW TO SMART MANUFACTURING

FPT Pitches for New Partnership with Korean IC Firms

Mr. Tran Dang Hoa, Chairman of FPT IS and Chairman of FPT Semiconductor, both subsidiaries of FPT Corporation, shared initiatives to promote semiconductor cooperation between Vietnam and South Korea at the Vietnam-Korea Semiconductor Cooperation Conference held in Hanoi on August 6, 2024.

Mainly, Mr. Hoa highlighted the burgeoning opportunities in Vietnam’s semiconductor industry. FPT firmly believes that Vietnam will be the next significant player in the semiconductor supply chain. Primarily, a major advantage is that Vietnam is among the seven countries eligible for support under the U.S. CHIPS Act for manufacturing development and workforce training.

FPT Semi
Mr. Tran Dang Hoa, Chairman of FPT IS shares the company’s niches.

Niches of FPT Semiconductor

Primarily, FPT has over 10 years of experience in the semiconductor field in Vietnam, serving clients worldwide. In 2022, the Group established FPT Semiconductor. By this time, it had 70 million chips ordered from clients in countries and regions such as Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, and Japan.

“FPT Semiconductor has identified niches suitable for Vietnam and our capabilities. First, we are developing power chip products using low-demand technology ranging from 100 to 130nm, which most factories can produce and are essential for 100% of IoT devices. FPT Semiconductor excels in customizing, assembling, and fine-tuning these chips according to customer needs, enabling us to quickly dominate the market.

Secondly, we develop and provide IP libraries, including “standard cells” for our customers.

The third niche FPT Semiconductor has recently entered is the OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) chain. Given the high demand for chip testing, we are planning to build an OSAT factory to collaborate with partners.

Lastly, we offer outsourcing services, leveraging the abundant young Vietnamese engineering talent trained within the FPT Semiconductor system and at leading universities in Vietnam. This demand is expected to grow indefinitely, as the younger generation in many countries is less inclined to enter this field, presenting a significant opportunity for the young generation in Vietnam”, Mr. Hoa shared.

Regarding workforce development, FPT Semiconductor has a comprehensive training system for the chip sector – from colleges and universities to short-term courses and cooperative training programs with leading overseas Vietnamese experts.

Mainly, FPT collaborates with over seven universities worldwide. Primarily, it provides opportunities for students to study in Vietnam and abroad, with practical experience in foreign enterprises.

Four Areas of Cooperation

Speaking about the market orientation in South Korea, Mr. Tran Dang Hoa stated that FPT Semiconductor seeks to cooperate with Korean partners in 4 key programs: Power Chips; implement OSAT services in Vietnam; outsourcing services; training high-quality human resources, enabling Vietnamese engineers to participate in the future South Korean semiconductor market.

Specifically, FPT Semiconductor aims to build a large company in the next 10 years, independently designing various types of chips, especially AI chips,” Mr. Hoà affirmed.

In South Korea, FPT has been present since 2016 and has partnered with leading enterprises such as LG, SK C&C, Hanwha, Shinhan Bank, Shinsegae I&C, and more.

-12 August 2024-