TSMC today at the shareholders' committee, joint chief executive mark liu pointed out that in the business reports, TSMC benefit from progress in technology and manufacturing, with technology leading position, and in the proper time to provide customers the appropriate capacity, TSMC can last year is the main key performance is better than that of other trade. In terms of technology, has completed 10 nm TSMC technology demonstration, this year is expected to enter mass production, integrated fan out (InFO) packaging technology, also is expected to start mass production before.
Mark liu pointed out that in 2015, is a product of the company's record 1 year. The face of the challenges of a global semiconductor industry environment, still create a new record for sales and profits, and the important technology breakthrough.
In 2015, the weak global economy, a stronger dollar and financial market volatility, weaken the overall demand of semiconductor, and extend the inventory adjustment cycle, however, Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company continues to benefit from progress in technology and manufacturing, with technology leading position, and in the proper time to provide customers the appropriate capacity, is Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company in 2015, the main key performance is better than that of other trade.
Not only in 20 nm TSMC process business doubled in 2014, also successfully introduced the industry's leading 16 nm fin type field-effect transistors (FinFET) process, start mass production at a record pace. In 2015, 16 nm process with 20 nm process combined accounted for 20% of the company's overall revenue, up from 9% in 2014.
In addition, we also in 10 nm process performance, and 7 nm continued to diligence process research and development, to the next major milestone industry, due to the learning process continuously improve yield, and semiconductor devices performance, Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company in 2016 is expected to season 1 began to accept the customer's 10 nano product design finalized.
Although semiconductor process technology has become increasingly complex and capital demand is ever increasing, Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, continue to follow "Moore's law" technology development schedule and the economic benefit brought by the forward. Moore's law has been effective in mobile computing and covering global communication products brought into the world of public life, make stronger integrated circuit performance and the price affordable, become a link between everyday objects and intelligent network of Bridges.
Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company is committed to advanced technology research and development and production capacity of continuous investment, will benefit from the evolution of Moore's law, but also drive to move forward as Moore's law.
In 2015, TSMC's important achievements include: wafer shipments increased by 6.1%, compared with 2014, 8.76 million, 3000 pieces of 12 inch wafer roughly equivalent. Advanced manufacturing technology more advanced process (28 nm and below) sales amount is 48% of the overall wafer sales amount, up from 42% in 2014. Provide more than 228 kinds of process technology, production of 8941 different products for 470 customers. 6 years in a row in a professional integrated circuit manufacturing services market share continue to grow, to 55% in 2015.
TSMC in 2015 annual consolidated revenue of nt $843.5 billion (nt, hereinafter the same), 10.6% increase from the previous 1 year 762.81 billion yuan; After-tax profit of nt $306.57 billion and eps of nt $11.82, compared with the previous 1 year after-tax net profit of $263.9 billion and eps were increased by 16% to $10.18.
If in dollar terms, TSMC consolidated revenue of $26.61 billion for the whole year, 2015 after-tax profit of $9.67 billion, and last year's annual consolidated revenue of $25.17 billion, after-tax profit was $8.71 billion. TSMC gross margin was 48.7% in 2015, a year ago to 49.5%; Business interest at a rate of 37.9%, before 1 year was 38.8%.
After-tax profit rate is 36.3% in 2015, the after-tax profit rate of 34.6% from a year earlier by 1.7%, mainly from the business projects, including a sale of nt $22.1 billion income gained by the ASML holding.
TSMC has surplus allocation in 2014, its cash dividend to nt $4.5 per share, higher than 3 nt dollars over the past eight years, according to Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, the increase in free cash flow. We are confident that will continue in the future also existing to shareholders in cash dividend distribution level, and will be duly consider to raise cash dividend per share.
On technology development, mark liu pointed out that TSMC 28 nm process production has its fifth year, continue to pursue innovation. In 2015, we aimed at industry leading 28 nm technology platform introduced 28 nm highly efficient thin process (28 HPC) and 28 nm highly efficient thin potent version of the process (28 HPC +).
These new process to provide higher efficiency and lower power consumption, assist clients to achieve a smaller chip size of the circuit design. As a result of TSMC 28 nm solution possess high competitive edge in technology and cost, increased the quantity of 2015 customers finalized product design, we believe that TSMC in this important process in the next few years still can maintain more than 70% of market share.
20 nm TSMC process yield better than expected, in 2015 to 16 nm fin type field-effect transistors potent version of the process (16 ff +) launch and pull litre capacity to lay a good foundation, the customer has been actively cooperate with Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, and in 2015, has nearly 40 product design finalized by the end of the year. By 16 ff + experience gained by the process, we successfully developed 16 nanometer thin fin type field-effect transistors process 16 (FFC), to provide customers with high competitive and cost effective solutions, the process technology with optical miniature and process simplified, can further reduce the chip cost, and can be directly from 16 ff + process transformation. 16 FFC process mass production is expected to begin in 2016.
16 ff + process with 16 FFC process is ready to drive future growth, will be widely support the mass production of mobile, Internet, central processing unit (CPU), programmable logic gate array (FPGA), consumer electronics, as well as the application of graphics processor (GPU). In 2015, Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company to complete 10 nm technology demonstration, also conforms to the target progress is expected in 2016 into mass production; At the same time, Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company 7 nanotechnology has entered a stage of comprehensive development, the progress is expected in the republic of China in the first half of 106 into the trial production. 7 nano technology and nano technology has more than 10 more than 95% of the share equipment can use each other, which significantly improve the density and reducing power consumption and maintain the same chip.
In addition, Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company is in a cluster of advanced development for 5 the definition of nanotechnology. Focuses on the new transistors and also for prospective study of the manufacturing technology, expect to build a solid foundation to meet the future technology platform.
Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, advanced 3 d integrated circuit (IC) 3 d integrated fan out (InFO) packaging technology successful completion of the validation in 2015, 16 nanometer system can integrate single chip (SoC) and dynamic random memory (DRAM) to support the advanced mobile products, is expected to begin in the middle of 2016 before mass production.
At the same time, we continue to expand Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company Open Innovation Platform (Open Innovation Platform?, OIP) become semiconductor industry the most complete the design of the ecological environment. In 2015, Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company amplification components database with silicon ipr size has more than 10000 projects, a 18% growth in 2014. In 2015, Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company have on TSMC - Online offers more than 7500 technical archives and more than 200 process design suites, each customer download using technical files and process design suite has more than 100000 times.
In the aspect of enterprise development, in January 2015, Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, the board of directors for approval to sell TSMC solid-state lighting (shares) company's shares to the wafer photoelectric (shares) company. Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, after the completion of the transaction has been fully out of the LED industry. In August 2015, TSMC announced TSMC solar (shares) company because of business development has not long-term economic benefits, by the end of the stop production factory. Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company continues to offer customers all existing product warranty, all at the same time YaoPin Taiwan factory workers to Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company.
In December 2015, Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company to the ministry of economic affairs investment commission proposed wholly to the Chinese city of nanjing to set up 12 inch fabs and design service center, aims to improve Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company to enter the Chinese market opportunity. After the approval of the ministry of economic affairs, the investment is expected to start in 2016, and in the second half of 107 into mass production. Future prospect product company for nearly 30 years ago, the first professional integrated circuit manufacturing services business model, is committed to leading technology and manufacturing excellence, and focus on winning the trust of the customers.
We expect the recovery of the global economy will bring the semiconductor industry in 2016 the kinetic energy of growth. And, more importantly, Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company for the specialized IC manufacturing services business model of dedication will let us in 2016 and future growth sharply ahead of the semiconductor industry, as Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company used to continue to create excellent performance.
Whatever technology change ups and downs, semiconductor has become a basic and common technology, decided to our life, so in the past, the same is true in the future. Creative people never stop seeking to create new applications and new services, to explore more potential business opportunities. Smart cars, unmanned aerial vehicles, robots, artificial intelligence, virtual reality/ar and wearable devices, such as the rise of various links or intelligent elements, a substantial increase in the demand for processor speed and function, and the Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company will cooperate with customers, in the next few years to apply these new innovations to the market.
Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, has been in a "contract" as a key part of the company's core strategy, we will continue to devote resources to "Moore's law" and "beyond Moore's law" of the technology design and technology development capacity. Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company is committed to the practice of our mission to become the logic in the integrated circuit industry was trusted provider technology and production capacity, we are ready, the future will continue to create a good reward for shareholders.
