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Does Crolles2 have a future? |
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Jan 16, 2007 at 10:57 AM |
The news that NXP Semiconductors is leaving the Crolles2 Alliance is not at all surprising! The writing was on the wall as soon as Philips sold off its semiconductor division to a group of private equity firms. Philips had being pushing the loss-making division to thin down prior to the buyout, and I doubt the new owners' bean-counters missed the cost savings associated with withdrawing from the Crolles2 partnership.
The cards were on the table when rumours started appearing in EETimes that NXP would leave the alliance last year, while the lack of comment from NXP only fuelled the imminent announcement of just that. We didn't actually have to wait too long into 2007 to get the confirmation.
The fact that NXP will team more closely with TSMC was also no surprise, but it does cast a doubt over whether TSMC will remain an associate of the Alliance now that NXP is leaving. TSMC cut ties with SEMATECH last year to align with IMEC's advanced R&D initiatives.
Though the Alliance may well be looking for - and indeed may have already found - a new partner to fill NXP's shoes, it may be seeking two new partners rather than one as Freescale has also gone the private equity buyout route. No prizes given to all those who believe that Freescale may follow NXP out of the alliance by year-end!
That would kill off the Alliance, in my view, and force STM to seek closer collaboration with IMEC or a leading foundry - or both!
Should this be the last year of the Alliance, it could send a message to people that even semiconductor R&D is not worth doing in Europe. Problems could start at LETI France if STM reduce its investments in Crolles, now that its partners have decided to move work elsewhere. Ironically, it would be only a matter of time before IMEC could suffer, unless it has an offspring facility created in Asia?
Under Philips' ownership I doubt very much that NXP would have dreamed of leaving the Alliance. More fall-out to come at Crolles, I fear.
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