NEC Corp and its NEC Hiroshima Ltd unit have opened a new large-scale integrated semi-conductor plant, repesenting an investment of $558.0m, initially to produce 64Mb DRAM processors on 0.35 circuits, at the rate of 20,000 silicon wafers, eight inches in diameter, per month. NEC will inject a further $119.6m later this year, to extend the plant’s production to include 0.25 micron process technology.