Japanese chipmaker Rohm Semiconductor is expanding its use of outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facilities, starting with existing products and local demand while continuing to keep wafer fabrication in-house. In India, the company has announced partnerships with Tata Electronics and Suchi Semicon, initially assigning different package types to each partner. 

"Tata is for TOLL, and Suchi is for TO-252 packaging,” Makoto Terada, managing director of Rohm Semiconductor India, told EE Times. TOLL is widely used in the two-wheeler market, while Terada said the main customer base for TO-252 is “more like four-wheeler.” 

The move is part of a broader change in Rohm’s manufacturing strategy. The company has historically manufactured most of its chips in its own fabs, but has increased its use of external manufacturing partners in recent years. It is evaluating the two partnerships to prototype and benchmark the capabilities of the Indian OSATs, with the aim of starting production for the local market before potentially expanding production to serve global demand.