Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMI) says its consolidated results of operations for the quarter ended September 30, 2006 show sales increased 2.1% in the third quarter of 2006 to US$368.9 million from US$361.4 million in the second quarter.

The company reported an increase in capacity to 176,625 8-inch equivalent wafers per month and a utilization rate of 84.3% in the third quarter of 2006. Gross margins were 8.9% in the third quarter of 2006 compared to 13.6% in the second quarter of 2006. Net loss of US$35.1 million in the third quarter of 2006, compared to a net loss of US$26.1 million in the third quarter of 2005 and a net gain of US$2.2 million in the second quarter of 2006.

"In the third quarter, our first 90 nanometer logic product moved into mass production at our 300 millimeter facility in Beijing," said Dr. Richard Chang, Chief Executive Officer of SMIC. "Elpida's 512M-bit DDR2 DRAM using the 90 nanometer manufacturing process also moved into mass production. Our second 90 nanometer DRAM product for Qimonda will go into commercial production in the fourth quarter 2006. In the third quarter, 90 nanometer technology contributed 4.9% of total wafer revenues."