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As a separate legal entity these days, Spansion still can't drag itself away from taking as many snipes as it can against its old foe Intel. In a very short and innocuous press release, highlighting the tool installation of 300mm equipment at its R&D facility, more thought was given to subtle digs at Intel than actually about the investment in leading-edge equipment.
Spansion couldn't resist saying this... 'Spansion is the only Silicon Valley company that has 300mm Flash memory in development and possesses the only 300mm R&D facility in California.' They are, of course, right in noting that Intel still uses 200mm fabs for NOR flash production and R&D, but as we all should know, Spansion's Fab 25 is a 200mm fab also. Having the only 300mm R&D fab in the valley is a moot point! The likes of Applied Materials would argue that point but of course Spansion is probably referring specifically to flash. Perhaps, then, the spinners at Spansion should have also highlighted that like its rival, it can't actually make a profit selling what it makes! Quite a feat when production is carried out at fully depreciated 200mm fabs! Dare I say that I am starting to feel sorry for Intel!
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