Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE), Amkor Technology and Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL) – the world's leading packaging and testing houses – have all set higher capex budgets for 2012 with a heavy emphasis on expanding capacity for high-end processes targeting mainly advanced communications chips, such as wafer-level packaging, through silicon via (TSV) and other 3D IC packaging, and copper pillar bumping.

ASE has budgeted US$800 million or more in capex for 2012, a 2.5% increase from the US$780 million allocated in 2011. The firm disclosed that 30% of the amount will be used to invest in new equipment for flip-chip packaging.

Full article here.