Samsung (KRX:005930) is in trouble: Its most recent earnings report saw a double digit slip in profits, and as VR World reported yesterday its starting to undergo an extensive internal review of management. Now, if statements from Ultratech’s CEO are to be believed, it appears that the company’s 14nm FinFET process has also been delayed.
First spotted by SemiWiki’s Daniel Nenni, Art Zafiropoulo, Ultratech’s CEO, hints that a “major player” has delayed their FinFET ramp much to his company’s annoyance.
“As we have discussed on past conference calls, the difficult implementation of 3D FinFET microprocessors to high production manufacturing,” Zafiropoulo said during the call. “Once again a major logic manufacturer delayed their FinFET ramp. We had then requested to prepare LSA tools for shipment for the end of the third quarter which was delayed.”
A major delay for Samsung would be painful for the beleaguered company. The semiconductor manufacturing market is competitive, with Taiwan’s TSMC (TPE: 2330) winning big deals for Apple’s (NASDAQ: APPL) iPhone SoC. But at the same time during Samsung’s most recent earnings report this arm of the company proved to be stable.
Samsung has yet to release a statement on the state of its FinFET project. It could be the company doesn’t say anything at all. A better indicator would be if Samsung executives launch a management audit of the chipmaking division — much like what’s happening now at Samsung Display.
