TAIPEI - Foxconn has bought a 6-inch wafer fabrication plant from Taiwan chipmaker Macronix International, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday, as the tech giant expands in the chip industry.

The sources declined to disclose the purchase price.

Electronics manufacturing conglomerate Foxconn, which counts giants such as Apple among its top clients, has been seeking to acquire chip plants globally as a worldwide chip shortage rattles producers of goods from cars to electronics.

The supply bottleneck has led to production cuts and warnings of supply chain disruptions from manufacturers across the world this year.

Foxconn and Macronix said they will hold a media conference at 3 p.m. Taipei time (0700 GMT).

Foxconn, which has in recent years counted semiconductors among its core businesses, announced in May a joint venture with Yageo Corp to make small integrated circuit products.

Formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, the company has in recent months announced plans to become a major player in the global electric vehicle market (EV), and has said it was in talks with "related foundries" on possible collaboration to make chips for EVs.

  - Reuters