TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (力積電) pledged Tuesday (Aug. 4) to maintain its operations, leadership team, and strategic direction unchanged following the sudden death of founder Frank Huang (黃崇仁). The company's management sought to reassure nearly 700,000 shareholders that his vision for the chipmaker would continue.
Huang, 76, died Friday of cardiopulmonary failure while sleeping at his home in Taipei. He had chaired an investor conference as recently as July 14.
At the company's first press conference since Huang's death, acting chairman Brian Shieh (謝再居) and general manager Martin Chu (朱憲國) outlined "three unchanges."
"The core business is trending upward — that hasn't changed. The team hasn't changed. The future direction hasn't changed," Chu told reporters, his tone crisp and methodical as he outlined the company's framework for continuity.
Huang's family has given its full backing to the existing management, according to Chen Chin-jung (陳錦榮), a lawyer representing the family who has worked with Huang since 1987.
"Mr. Huang promised at last month's investor conference that Powerchip would definitely pay dividends next year," Chen said, describing the family's sole request.
Shieh projected double-digit quarter-over-quarter revenue growth through Q2-Q4 this year, with earnings expected to peak by year-end. A decision on first-half dividends could come at September's board meeting.
The financial outlook is bolstered by Powerchip's sale of its Tongluo fab to Micron Technology, a deal expected to bring in more than NT$50 billion (around US$1.54 billion). The transaction would reduce the company's debt ratio and open new partnerships in high-bandwidth memory stacking.
Powerchip now operates on three business pillars: memory foundry covering DRAM and flash; logic foundry; and AI-related advanced packaging — which Shieh described as "a very important new business."
"The company's style going forward will predictably be more conservative — not as aggressive," Shieh added.
"Chairman Huang always said that semiconductor manufacturing is most efficient in Taiwan, where costs can be kept lowest," Shieh said, his voice steady as he invoked his late predecessor's philosophy. "Producing overseas is sometimes hard to justify."
Huang founded Umax Computer (力捷電腦) in 1987 before establishing Powerchip Semiconductor in 1994 with technology licensed from Mitsubishi Electric. Heavy debt forced the company to delist in 2012, but Huang pivoted to foundry services, relisting in 2021.
Powerchip Innovation Investment (力晶創新投資), the holding company that controls the chipmaker, elected Milton Hsieh (謝明霖) as its new chairman at a board meeting Monday. The board includes members of Huang's family.
PSMC shares closed at NT$29.55 on Monday, down 3.27% amid a broader market selloff. ◼