Samsung Electronics Co. under the goal of generating $10 billion from foundry business has established a R&D division focused contract-based chipmaking and goes on a global tour in search of new customers.

According to multiple industry sources on Monday, the world’s top semiconductor company has recently included a foundry division in its research and development (R&D) arm. The chipmaker this year began 6 trillion won ($5.6 billion) construction of next-generation foundry capable of producing below 7-nanometer chips from the second half of next year.

The foundry arm joins Samsung Electronics’ R&D center on device solutions also comprising of memory, system large-scale integration, semiconductor, package, light emitting diode, production technology, software, and display.

Samsung Electronics, currently the world’s dominant memory chip maker, vowed to make foundry business second after industry leader Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Samsung currently ranks fourth in the pure-play category. Foundry is a business manufacturing and packaging chips upon client orders.

To pitch its cutting-edge technology, Samsung Electronics goes on a global tour Tuesday starting with Santa Clara in California, the United States. The forum heads to Shanghai, China, on June 14; Seoul on July 5; Tokyo, Japan, on September 4; and Munich, Germany, on October 18. At the forum, which is the third of its kind this year, Samsung Electronics will introduce its 7-nano or lower micro-processing technology and Internet of Things-use wireless communication semiconductor and fingerprint recognition chip production technology.

By Hwang Hyung-kyu and Lee Eun-joo

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]