New trade body to help smaller firms compete
The nine companies - AMI, Cypress, Delphi Electronics, Fairchild, Intersil, LSI Logic, Micrel, ON Semiconductor and ZME AG - have combined annual revenues of around US$7 billion and together produce about 500,000 silicon wafers each month.
The new not-for-profit association will help smaller players meet the ever-rising cost of producing semiconductors by working together on overcoming manufacturing challenges, pooling equipment purchases and sharing expertise and data. The association is even considering building a 300mm fab for use by its members.
FOA executive director LT Guttadauro said: Our vision is to provide a cooperative environment for executives to examine common manufacturing issues and identify practical solutions."
Gunter Ziegenbalg, FOA managing director, said that joining the association would help companies compete with the industry’s major players.
"FOA provides member companies with a forum to maximise our non-proprietary technologies, combine our resources and requirements and become more competitive."