|
|
LOCAL ASIA-PACIFIC NEWS
|
|
|
|
Fujitsu expands in Texas,
Semtech in China
Source:
Matthew Miller, Electronic News, 25th July 2008
Fujitsu
expands in Texas
to better serve its optical networking customers. The company will transfer manufacturing of its multi service
provisioning platform and reconfigurable add/drop multiplexer from Japan to its Richardson
headquarters, Texas.
In addition, manufacturing of broadband and fibre access products will
relocate from Europe to Texas.
Semtech, a maker of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors will open a
design center in Shenzhen, China, The center will provide design and
application support for the company's protection, power-management, and
communications and sensing products.
Hynix to close Eugene Fab, other 200mm fabs may
shut
Source: Staff,
Semiconductor International – 24th July 2008
Hynix now has five 200 mm fabs; three
would be closed, including one in China
and another in Korea,
as well as the Eugene
facility. The Hynix press release did not mention the China fab, but said it is reviewing
the use of its 200 mm fabs in Icheon and Cheongju, Korea,
with options including switching to foundry production, making memories
and logic devices, or selling the equipment.
Applied Materials breaks ground for Taiwan
manufacturing centre expansion
Source: Nikkei
Electronics Asia – 23rd
July 2008
This
expansion at its Tainan Manufacturing Centre, with a total investment
estimated at around US$17 million, will increase the company's ability to
meet the demand for both its AKT flat panel display equipment and SunFab
Thin Film Solar manufacturing equipment. The new facility is expected to
be completed by the middle of next year.
Samsung, Sun team on
ultra-endurance SSD flash memory for server applications
Source:
Ann Mutschier, Electronic News, 17th July 2008
The new server-grade SLC NAND memory is meant to be used in SSDs to
extend the life cycle of any high-transaction data processing server and
is expected to deliver the highest endurance ever offered in 24/7
mission-critical computing. Possible uses include video streaming,
high-transaction data processing, search engine operations and other
high-speed server applications
Continental inaugurates India
R&D, manufacturing facilities
Source:
Christoph Hammerschmidt, EE Times 14th July 2008
In a
move reflecting the significance of the Indian market for future
automotive developments, automotive parts supplier Continental AG has
launched electronic parts manufacturing site and an R&D center in Electronic City
near Bangalore, India.
PFI adds three Japanese design
firms
Source:
CIOL – 14th July 2008
The
Power Forward Initiative (PFI) announced that three Japanese design
services companies (Nippon Systemware Co Ltd., Dai Nippon Co. Ltd. and
Toppan Technical Design centre Co. Ltd.) have recently joined the
initiative and are offering Common Power Format (CPF)-enabled low-power
design capabilities to their design services customers.
Nokia Siemens signs $864
million China mobile deal
Source:
Biz Yahoo- 11th July 2008
Under
the agreement, the Finnish-German company will design, build and maintain
a network for China Mobile - the world's biggest mobile phone company
measured by subscribers - including base stations and mobile switching
systems.
Numonyx inks foundry deal with
Elpida
Source:
Mark LaPedus, EE Times – 9th July 2008
Under
the terms, Elpida will make NOR-based flash memory devices in its 300-mm
wafer fab in Hiroshima
for Numonyx. It will make 65- and 45-nm devices on a foundry basis for
the flash-memory vendor
Indian tech companies develop
chip IP
Source:
EE Times – 9th July 2008
Indian
technology firms facing cost pressures from a global economic slump and
domestic competition are seeking a way out by boosting R&D
investments to develop semiconductor intellectual property
Singapore to serve as
Applied’s Asia hub
Source:
CIOL – 8th July 2008
The Operations Center
will be a base for Applied Materials’ global purchasing, sales,
manufacturing, engineering and financial groups to support the Asia
region chip industry, and the rapidly growing solar markets in India and China. New operations will
help achieve reductions in material cost and cycle time while expanding
Applied's merge-in-transit and global supply chain capabilities.
Applied funding arm to build more Indian IC firms
Source:
EE Times, 8th July 2008
The
investment arm of IC tool vendor Applied Materials Inc. had earlier
invested in two Indian companies and is considering two additional
investments this year.
The
amount invested in each company was not disclosed, but Applied Ventures
typically invests from $1 million to $5 million. One of the planned
investments would be a new funding round for the EDA software company.
National Semiconductor enters photovoltaic market
Source:
Hardwarezone.com – 3rd July 2008
National Semiconductor announced that it has entered the
photovoltaic market with new technology designed to increase the overall
energy output of solar electric power generating systems. National's
SolarMagic technology extracts the maximum power efficiency of each
photovoltaic panel even when some panels in the array are compromised by
shading, debris or inherent panel-to-panel mismatch.
Toshiba-Ericsson partner for HSDPA laptops
Source:
Staff Writer, ComputingSA – 1st July 2008
Ericsson
is to partner with Toshiba for the integration of High Speed Packet
Access (HSPA) mobile broadband modules into Toshiba’s business
laptop range in Europe, the Middle East and Africa
SemIndia looks for new partner after AMD deal ends
Source:
EE Times – 1st July 2008
SemIndia
Fab, one of India's
first major chip manufacturing projects, is reportedly looking for a new
technology partner after a three-year technology partnership with
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. lapsed.
Back
to top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INDUSTRY HEADLINES
|
|
|
|
Intel invests $12.5M in solar
Source: PV Tech – 29th
July 2008
Marking
its third foray into the solar energy arena, Intel Capital has invested
$12.5 million in specialty gases firm, Voltaix. The funds will be used to
expand production capacity with the construction of a new plant to supply
precursors for thin-film solar cell applications.
Nokia, Qualcomm sign new deal
Source: EE Times – 25th
July 2008
Under
the terms of the new 15-year agreement, Nokia has been granted a license
under all Qualcomm's patents for use in Nokia's mobile devices and Nokia
Siemens Networks infrastructure equipment. Moreover, Nokia has agreed not
to use any of its patents directly against Qualcomm, enabling Qualcomm to
integrate Nokia's technology into Qualcomm's chipsets. The financial
structure of the settlement includes an up-front payment and on-going
royalties payable to Qualcomm. Nokia has agreed to assign ownership of a
number of patents to Qualcomm, including patents declared as essential to
W-CDMA, GSM and OFDMA.
Intel re-enters microcontroller market
Source: Ron Wilson, EDN – 23rd
July 2008
Intel announced its re-entry into the
high-end, application-specific microcontroller market with a line of
Pentium- and Atom-based chips known as the 80579 family. Combining a
single processor-core complex, North- and South-bridge functions,
application-specific peripheral blocks, and in some cases an application
accelerator, the chips in the family will create an x86-instruction-set
alternative to the rainbow of ARM- and MIPS-based SoCs, at least for
systems that can tolerate the considerable power and memory footprint
involved.
AMD faces $948M in Q2 charges on layoffs, ATI deal
Source: Suzanne
Deffree, Electronic News – 11th July 2008
As its stock continued to get
slammed, AMD announced nearly $1 billion in various Q2 charges related to
the company’s ATI acquisition, its previously announced layoffs,
and its investments. Several industry watchers have suggested AMD move to
a fabless model to reach profitability and have made note of AMD’s
tight partnership with TSMC.
Intel spreads its solar bets with Sulfurcell
Source: Martin
LaMonica, CNET – 9th July 2008
The chip giant is investing $37.7 million in
Munich, Germany-based Sulfurcell, which will use the investment to expand
production with a new plant in Berlin
Bauer reorganizes Infineon, denies M&A plans
Source: Christoph
Hammerschnidt, EE Times – 3rd July 2008
In
the background of a shrinking share price, the new Infineon CEO Peter
Bauer has announced to restructure the company. With the start of
Infineon's next financial year (October 1st), the company will consist of
five business units. These are automotive, industrial electronics,
security, wireline and wireless.
Applied teams with Oregon State U to develop advanced
films for next–gen display products
Source: Suzanne
Deffree, Electronic News – 2nd July 2008
The US Display Consortium (USDC), a public/private
partnership chartered with developing the flat-panel display and flexible
electronics supply chain, announced a cost-shared contract award with
Applied Materials to develop metal-oxide films for next-generation TFTs
(thin-film transistors). The program will bring together the US
government, private industry, and university participants to allow
research and development for future display technology.
Back to top
|
|
|
|
FINANCIAL WATCH
|
|
|
|
World’s top foundries to feel pinch of economic
uncertainty in Q3
Source: Ann Mutschler, Electronic
News 31st July 2008
While the top two foundries expect slower sales for
Q3, number 3 Chartered is also expecting a net loss, but is forging ahead
with its 45-nm process offering for 2009.
Kemet announces 640 worldwide job cuts
Source: Manufacturing.net - 30th
July 2008
Surface-mount and through-hole capacitor
manufacturer, Kemet will reduce its workforce by 12%. Kemet reported a loss in its
fiscal first quarter ending June 30 because of rising energy costs,
pricing pressure in Asian markets and general weakening economic
conditions.
Infineon to cut 3000 jobs amid heavy quarterly losses
Source: The Local - 25th
July 2008
Infineon is reported to be
preparing to cut 3,000 jobs after losing $930m in Q2, principally due to
losses at its DRAM manufacturing subsidiary Qimonda
Linear Tech bucks economic trends with record results
Source: Matthew Miller, Electronic
News - 23rd July 2008
Linear reported revenue of $307.1
million for its fiscal Q4, which ended June 29, an increase of 3.1% over
the previous quarter and 14.5% over Q4 2007. The picture for other industry
stalwarts is not nearly as encouraging.
NXP sees flat year ahead as sales and profits dip
Source: Richard Wilson, Electronics
Weekly – 22nd July 2008
Sales of $1.524bn were 1.9% down on the same quarter last year and
0.6% down on the first quarter of 2008. This "reflects the
continuing softness of the overall market," said the company.
North American semi equipment industry in June reflects
chipmakers’ caution in spending
Source: Ann Mutschler, Electronic News – 18th
July 2008
As the industry awaits more clarity
in the overall economic condition before increasing capital spending,
manufacturers of semiconductor equipment in North
America reported $1.03 billion in orders in June on a
three-month average, and a book-to-bill ratio of 0.85 according to
industry association, Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International
(SEMI)
Handset market growth slows as economy contracts
Source: Tarmo Virki, Reuters – 14th July
2008
Citing the global economic slow down, research firm Gartner has cut
its forecast for the cell phone market to 10-11 percent. Last year cell
phone market volumes grew 16 percent year on year.
The future of Consumer Telematics remains bright for
providers offering flexible solutions
Source: ABI Research – 11th July 2008
Despite the automotive industry being severely hit by
economic downturn and high fuel prices, the consumer telematics industry
continues to see healthy levels of innovation, with BMW and Chrysler
leading the way; both plan to bring Internet access or Wi-Fi connectivity
to cars in the United States
this year
Pricing weakness at issue as Gartner reports top 100 OEMs
bought 76% of semiconductor shipped
Source: Suzanne Deffree, Electronic News – 7th
July 2008
The top application areas remain data
processing and communications electronics, which represented almost
three-quarters of the semiconductors consumed by the top 100 OEMs. These
two segments were followed by consumer electronics, industrial, and
automotive.
Nvidia cuts estimate, expects up to $200M charge on
product issues
Source: Suzanne Deffree, Electronic News – 3rd
July 2008
Nvidia said the shortfall is due to
end-market weakness around the world, the delayed ramp of a
next-generation MCP, and price adjustments of its GPU products to respond
to competitive products
Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS, JOINT VENTURES, SPIN OFFS AND PEOPLE
|
|
|
|
KLA-Tencor to acquire Vistec’s inspection unit
Source: Fabtech – 31st July 2008
The
Microelectronic Inspection Equipment (MIE) business unit of Vistec
Semiconductor Systems is to be purchased by KLA-Tencor from
Vistec’s owner, Golden Gate Capital, a San Francisco-based private
equity firm. Rick Wallace, CEO of KLA-Tencor, commented,
"The Microelectronic Inspection Equipment division of Vistec not
only complements KLA-Tencor's product portfolio, it will give us an
opportunity for growth into new segments of the mask and wafer markets.
Vistec's mask registration measurement systems will enable us to offer an
expanded range of products that provide increased operational benefits to
our customers."
Western Digital buys ST’s HDD controller division
Source: EE Times – 31st July 2008
The
transaction took place a month ago. President and CEO of Western Digital,
John Coyne
stated, "In June, in a further strategic step to accelerate our
technology development and deployment, we acquired the HDC IP rights,
design tools, and design team from ST. This in-house HDC capability will
enhance the efficiencies of our development process with our existing SoC
supply partners". The announcement
follows a declaration from Carlo Bozotti, ST president and CEO,
disclosing that the company would continue to divest product families
Oki signs definitive agreement with Rohm to transfer shares
of its semiconductor subsidiary
Source: MarketWatch – 29th July 2008
In a
further shake-up of Japan’s
chip industry, Oki will create a new semiconductor company, Oki
Semiconductor Company Ltd. and transfer 95% of its shares to Rohm
ON Semi acquires
Catalyst Semiconductor
Source: EDA Geek News Staff – 17th July 2008
ON Semiconductor
Corp. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Catalyst Semiconductor
Inc. in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $115 million.
"The acquisition of Catalyst will add to our high gross margin
analog and mixed-signal product offerings for the digital consumer and
wireless end-markets," said Keith Jackson, ON Semi president and
CEO.
AMD ousts Ruiz after $1.2B charge, names Meyer president and
CEO
Source: Ann Mutschler, Electronic News – 17th
July 2008
Ruiz is now tasked with helping to ensure a smooth
transition for Meyer, will assist in driving the company's 'asset smart'
strategy to completion, and help with high-level government and strategic
partner relations, AMD said.
Avnet adds Agilent
CEO to board
Source: Suzanne Deffree, Electronic News – 17th
July 2008
Avnet has named William P Sullivan, president and CEO of
Agilent Technologies, to its board of directors. Sullivan has served as
the president and CEO of test giant Agilent since March 2005.
Chairman and CEO of chipmaker UMC resigns
Source: Dan Nystedt, IDG News Service – 16th
July 2008
Jackson Hu, who
took over as chairman of UMC in early 2006 after his boss stepped down in
a spat with the Taiwan
government has resigned. He will take on a new role as senior advisor to
UMC. UMC's chief financial officer, Stan Hung, will take over as
chairman at UMC, while Sun Shih-wei, chief operating officer at the
company, will take over the CEO role.
Microsemi pays $25M for Semicoa
Source: Suzanne Deffree, Electronic News – 15th
July 2008
Analog and mixed-signal IC maker
Microsemi announced its acquisition of Semicoa through a $25 million cash
deal that will complement its existing military/aerospace-based product
portfolio while expanding capacity.
Impinj buys Intel RFID operation
Source: Dan Berthiaume, eWeek – 11th July
2008
Impinj, which offers UHF Gen2 radio
frequency identification solutions, seeks to broaden its market of RFID
solutions through this acquisition.
Conexant buys Freescale’s Sigmatel multi-function
printer product lines
Source: Suzanne Deffree, Electronic News – 9th
July 2008
Less than six months after acquiring the company, Freescale will
sell its SigmaTel multi-function printer (MFP) imaging product lines for
an undisclosed price to Conexant Systems. Conexant will also acquire
Freescale's SigmaTel digital photo frame product lines. SigmaTel's
multimedia applications processor technology will be excluded from the
acquisition.
Cypress sells MEMS unit to Dainippon
Source: Suzanne Deffree, Electronic News – 2nd
July 2008
Cypress keeps the laser optical navigation sensor technology developed by
its Silicon Light Machines subsidiary, but has sold the MEMS remainder of
the business to Dainippon Screen Manufacturing.
Back to top
|
|
|
|
MARKET OUTLOOK
|
|
|
|
Market for SOI to reach $1.1B by 2012
Source:
Ann Mutschler, Electronic News – 30th July 2008
Following the general trend of the
semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem, sales of SOI (silicon on
insulator) technology slowed in 2007 to a 6% year-over-year revenue
increase at $654 million. The single-digit growth pales in
comparison to the 46% and greater growth in each of the three previous
years, according to VLSI
Research Inc. While 2008 sales of SOI are expected to be
slightly down from 2007, the following years will see double-digit
growths stimulated by the 45-nm transition by existing SOI users as well
as potential new customers
Biometric security to drive
$7.3B in five years
Source:
Matthew Miller, Electronic News – 25th July 2008
A key factor
driving this increase is the work vendors have done to create
interoperable standards, according to the market-research firm, ABI
Research. Over the next five years, systems with multi technology, multi
vendor capabilities will drive adoption in both public- and
private-sector applications
IC Insights warns of disconnect between capital spending
cuts, volume shipment increases
Source: Suzanne Deffree, Electronic
News – 22nd July 2008
Considering
the strong unit growth rates being seen in memory and logic ICs, there
simply isn’t much "wiggle room" for additional cuts in
capital spending budgets at most chipmakers, IC Insights cautions as it
lowers its 2008 semiconductor capital expenditures expectations.
Semiconductor equipment sales to fall 20% in 2008
Source: Ann Mutschler, Electronic
News – 14th July 2008
While this drop follows 6% market growth in 2007,
SEMI believes the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry will
experience a rebound with annual growth of 13% in 2009, and 6% in 2010.
Semiconductor R&D spending
growth to show 8% rise in 2008
Source: Ann Mutschler, Electronic
News – 10th July 2008
Market
researchers IC insights reports that semiconductor
R&D spending will rise 8% for the year to reach $49.2 billion,
despite Q1 registering a 12% rise in expenditures
Taiwan craves for a bigger slice
of notebook market
Source: EE Times – 9th
July 2008
Taiwan's share of the growing notebook
market is expected to grow slowly, but local systems makers face
challenges such as the transition to LED backlights and the need to
expand their overseas markets.
Flip-chip changes on the horizon
Source: Sally Johnson, Semiconductor
International– 2nd July 2008
Flip-chips haven’t changed much since being
invented by IBM in the early ’60s, but some interesting trends are
emerging and several potential changes are on the horizon.
Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
VIEWS AND OPINIONS
|
|
|
|
Semi technology, business models converging,
IBM’s Meyerson says
Source: Ann Mutschler, Electronic
News – 16th July 2008
IBM's VP for strategic alliances and
CTO of the company’s systems and technology group, Meyerson, talks
about keeping pace with Moore’s law and how pervasive semiconductor
technology in the future will be highly integrated driven by
architectural advancements, done by collaborative R&D partnerships.
Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Singapore to serve as
Applied’s Asia hub
The
Operations Center will be a base for global purchasing,
sales, manufacturing, engineering and financial groups to support the
Asia region chip industry and the rapidly growing solar markets in India and China. New operations will
help achieve reductions in material cost and cycle time while expanding
Applied's merge-in-transit and global supply chain capabilities.
Linear Tech bucks economic trends with
strong results
Linear Technology posted record earnings, showing imperviousness to
prevailing economic conditions. Results from other industry stalwarts
were not so encouraging (e.g. for ST, Freescale and job cuts by
Infineon, Kemet etc.)
Diminishing semiconductor content?
According to a recent research in Semiconductor DQ report from Gartner, it
is noted that the top 100 OEMs consumed semiconductors worth $209
billion in 2007 or a total 76% of semiconductors sold last year.
However their semiconductor consumption did not grow as fast as their
revenues. The report highlights 2 ongoing issues faced by the
semiconductor industry - significant erosion of semiconductor content
and average selling prices (ASPs).
Increasing interest in solar market
National enters the growing solar market with its SolarMagic technology
and Intel marks its third foray into this market by investing $12.5M in
Voltaix, a firm providing materials for thin-film solar applications.
Intel is also investing in Sulfurcell, manufacturer of thin film solar
modules. Deutsche Bank estimates that thin-film PV will increase more
than four folds between 2007 and 2010.
|
|
|
