It may have been a lacklustre year in 2007 for revenue growth on the parts of TSMC, UMC and Chartered Semiconductor, but according to figures released by IC Insights, Samsung Electronics experienced foundry revenue growth of 413 percent in 2007 compared to 2006 and became the 10th largest foundry by sales.

The continued over-supply of memory devices is continuing to impact overall semiconductor growth figures, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). Excluding the memory sector from sales reporting data, the semiconductor industry would have shown an 11 percent year-on-year level of growth, against the actual low single digit increase the industry as a whole experienced in 2007. 

Trading of SigmaTel stock has ceased with the news that Freescale Semiconductor has completed its takeover of the analog and mixed-signal IC company. Freescale paid approximately $110 million – in cash – for SigmaTel, representing $3 per outstanding share. The news of the acquisition was first reported in early February this year. 

IMEC posted revenues of €244.5 million in 2007 of which €39.1 million was granted by the Flanders Government as part of its long-term commitment to the R&D centre. IMEC is confident about prospects in 2008 and beyond as it continues to attract companies to its research programs from all over the world. IMEC noted that 35 percent of its workforce had been guest researchers in 2007. 

There would seem to be a slight glimmer of hope for DRAM memory manufacturers as iSuppli Corp. has upgraded its rating of near-term conditions for suppliers to “neutral,” up from its “negative” assessment issued in November 2007. 

Both AMD and Intel grew microprocessor market share in fourth quarter of 2007, according to new figures released by iSuppli Corp. AMD in the fourth quarter grew its share by 0.3 percentage points compared to the third quarter of 2007, while Intel increased its revenue by 0.2 percentage points sequentially. 

Infineon Technologies has reclassified the assets and liabilities of Qimonda into “Assets Held for Sale” in its consolidated balance sheet in preparation for its planned disposal of its investment in Qimonda.  Under current fair value terms, Infineon has made a write-down of €1 billion. Infineon currently holds a 77.47 percent interest in Qimonda.