Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL) has moved to expand production capacity at a fast pace for high-end IC packaging and testing in anticipation of robust demand for mobile communication ICs over the next three years, according to company chairman Bough Lin.

　　SPIL will add capacity at two of its Taiwan plants, where production lines for high-end IC packaging and testing are installed, said Lin. The plants ran at almost full capacity in the second quarter, Lin added.

　　SPIL also plans to establish new production lines for advanced flip-chip packaging at its Suzhou plant in China in the second half of 2013, Lin indicated. As the development of China's baseband and application processor industries is being accelerated by the local rapid-growth mobile device market, demand for advanced 28nm and 20nm chips will ramp up at a gradual rise, Lin said.

　　With capacity for advanced IC packaging and testing coming online, SPIL's Suzhou plant will be ready to vie for orders from the local IC design companies, Lin pointed out. The facility, where production lines for BGA and other traditional packaging are mainly installed, will ramp up new capacity for flip-chip packaging to one million units by the end of 2013, Lin said.

         SPIL has set aside a capex budget of NT$14.9 billion (US$498.9 million) for 2013.