Nexperia China claims to be making chips using 12-inch wafers — subsidiary deepens split with Dutch parent as it builds out 'mass production capabilities'
Source: Tom’s Hardware
Image credit: Getty / NurPhoto
Production milestone
Nexperia’s Chinese subsidiary announced that it has achieved small‑batch production of chips using 12‑inch silicon wafers. This development deepens the split between the unit and its Dutch parent company, which does not manufacture wafers at that diameter.
Supply chain details
The most likely supplier is WingSkySemi, a 12‑inch wafer fab in Shanghai operated by Wingtech founder Zhang Xuezheng. In December, Reuters reported a letter sent to Nexperia China’s distributors naming WingSkySemi as the planned source of automotive‑grade wafers, with a stated monthly capacity of 30,000 wafers. The letter also mentioned 8‑inch IGBT wafer supply from Shanghai GAT Semiconductor and United Nova Technology Co., a fab linked to SMIC.
Technical details
The chips that Nexperia China claims it can now produce are simpler than IGBTs (insulated‑gate bipolar transistors) used for current regulation in applications such as EVs and industrial equipment. If true, the announcement demonstrates how far the company’s Chinese subsidiary has moved toward building a self‑contained supply chain since its spat with Nexperia proper began in late 2025.
Legal and trade dispute
The conflict started when the Dutch government took control of Nexperia from Wingtech in October 2025, citing governance concerns, and subsequently installed a European management team. In October, the Dutch side halted wafer shipments to Nexperia’s Chinese factories, citing non‑payment, while a Dutch court ordered Wingtech’s founder removed as Nexperia CEO.
Beijing responded by restricting exports of Nexperia’s finished chips, causing shortages that forced Honda to temporarily suspend production at factories in China and Japan. Both governments partially relaxed their measures in November, but legal proceedings and the internal battle over control have continued to rage on. Nexperia said in December that its Chinese subsidiary has shown “no intention to negotiate a short‑term solution to restore the flow of chips to customers.”
Nexperia China has claimed it delivered more than 11 billion chips to over 800 customers since mid‑October despite the disruption. A Dutch court hearing on control of the company was scheduled for 14 January, but the outcome has not been publicly announced.