Toshiba announced it will raze its Fab 2 NAND memory production fab at Yokkaichi Operations, a NAND Flash memory plant in Mie prefecture, Japan to the ground to replace it with a more modern facility. Fab 2 started production in 2010, the fab produces 2D NAND flash memory at 200mm wafers. The new fab will be a joint-venture with SanDisk, it's projected to start churning out 3D NAND flash memory on 300mm wafers in 2016.
The Fab 2 building, which ended its 200 mm wafer production in 2010, is currently used as an office building, and after its demolition (due to start this month), construction of a new fab should begin in September 2014, with a target completion date of summer 2015.
Toshiba expects to begin mass production of 3D memory in the second Half of FY2015, relying on existing equipment from nearby Fab 3 and Fab 4. The company will then transition to Fab 2 to convert more 2D NAND capacity to 3D NAND as the clean room investments are finalized.
