Sony Closing PlayStation Chip Factory, Increasing CMOS Sensor Production

A Sony press release has revealed that the company is to cease operations at the Japanese Sony Semiconductor Oita Technology Center (Oita TEC) in Kunisaki, Oita Prefecture.

Oita TEC had been producing chip cases for Sony’s PlayStation consoles, and before that it built memory packaging. The factory was most recently responsible for producing advanced packaging for the PS3’s Cell and RSX chips.

Sony blames the decision on the “changing business landscape”, a reference perhaps for decreased demand for PS3 components following the release of the PlayStation 4. The plant is set to close by the end of March next year.

Employees from Oita TEC will be transferred, either producing image sensors or continuing their work at other Sony Semiconductor Corporation plants.

In the same press release, Sony announced that it will invest around 105 billion yen in the Nagasaki TEC and Yamagata TEC factories in order to increase production of CMOS image sensors, jumping from 60,000 wafers per month to somewhere near 80,000 a month.

Source: DualShockers