Online information source for semiconductor professionals

According to Gartner the fall in overall semiconductor capital equipment spending in 2008 will be worse than previously projected in July, 2008. Instead of a spending decline of 19.8 percent expected for this year, compared to 2007, the market research firm is guiding spending to decline by 25.7 percent to a total of $47.1 billion. The weaker economy and the collapse in memory manufacturers spending were at the route of the revised projections, Gartner said. Read more >>

Yesterday SEMI announced six recommendations to the EU and national governments to encourage the microelectronic industry in Europe. The organization released a white paper addressed to senior government officials that calls for action to increase the competitiveness of the ailing semiconductor sector in Europe. Read more >>

With AMD going fabless with the spin-off of its semiconductor manufacturing arm into a newly formed foundry enterprise, its current foundry partners, TSMC and UMC will lose its graphic chips business to the ‘Foundry Company.’ Read more >>

The much muted ‘asset smart’ plan of AMD has been officially announced. AMD has sold a majority share in its manufacturing operations in Dresden, Germany to the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC), a technology focused investment arm of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. A temporary name of ‘The Foundry Company’ has been used to describe the spin-off of AMD’s semiconductor manufacturing operations, of which AMD will own 44.4 percent and ATIC will own 55.6 percent. Read more >>

NXP Semiconductors has retained ATREG, the semiconductor sales division of Colliers International, to sell its fully operational BiCMOS RF and high-voltage CMOS, 200-mm 0.25-micron semiconductor manufacturing facility in Fishkill, NY. Read more >>

Entrepix has expanded its CMP and SEZ processing services as well as tool refurbishment offerings to the UK and Ireland with the announcement that it will team with UK based Semi Scenic UK Ltd. According to the company, the two countries are increasingly reliant on trailing edge technologies, while still developing novel technologies and therefore a growing market for Entrepix. Read more >>

It may have taken Hector Ruiz over a year to put together what many have done in lesser time, but AMD has finally sold off its fabs (with a 44.4 percent share) to its friends in Abu Dhabi and gone fabless in all but name.

A few key points:

Hector will leave AMD for the new foundry being created.
AMD issues millions more shares
Luther Forest 300mm fab to go ahead under new company
New company called ‘The Foundry Company’…oh dear! 

A press conference will be held later today so there will be more from me after that, but for now here is the press release AMD issued today.

Read more >>

Elpida Memory is targeting the start of migration of DRAM production to its 50nm process technology by the end of December, 2008, instead of previous plans for the migration to start in the January-March 2009, timeframe. According to Elpida, the 50nm devices offer a 50 percent productivity boost over its 65nm devices that have also been revamped with a redesign that reduces the die size over its original 65nm design. Read more >>

Amtech Systems has said that it has achieved record booking in its FY2008, topping $100 million, compared to 2007 recorded bookings of 56 million. Approximating 70 percent of total bookings in FY2008, came for the photovoltaics market, according to the company. Read more >>

The financial credit crisis is impacting the ability of some of the DRAM manufacturers to raise funds to service previous rounds of debt raising for capacity expansions as well as supporting current planned expansions. According to Nam Hyung Kim, Director and Chief Analyst for market research firm, iSuppli, thinks this may turn out to a be a good thing as it will limit new DRAM supply, resulting in a return to a better demand/supply balance in 2009. Read more >>