ATIC to Acquire Chartered Semiconductor (GF/AMD will have nine+ fabs)

[jww20]

David Lammers, News Editor -- Semiconductor International, 9/6/2009
Just three months after news of a possible takeover emerged, Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Investment Company LLC (ATIC) said it will pay ~$3.9B to acquire Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd. (Singapore).

The deal, which is expected to close by the fourth quarter, will make ATIC the sole owner of Chartered, as well as the major investor in GlobalFoundries LLC (Sunnyvale, Calif.). GlobalFoundries CEO Doug Grose will be the CEO of the combined operation, with Chartered CEO Chia Song Hwee serving as chief operating officer and spearheading the integration effort, the announcement said.

The addition of Chartered comes just six months after ATIC and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD, Sunnyvale, Calif.) announced the formation of GlobalFoundries, putting AMD's manufacturing assets and personnel into a foundry funded with $6.2B in promised capital from ATIC. Chartered, which had ~$1.7B in revenues in 2008, adds a major Asian base to GlobalFoundries, which now operates two former AMD fabs in Dresden, Germany.

http://www.semiconductor.net/article/339669-ATIC_to_Acquire_Chartered_Semiconductor_Combine_it_with_GlobalFoundries.php

 

[deff]

I see nothing but good things coming from this

 

[DedEmbryonicCe11]

Chartered's product mix was somewhat weighted to trailing-edge linewidths, with 29% of production at 65 nm and 2% at 45 nm and below.

Will they even be doing the CPUs and chipsets?

 

[jww20]

Will they even be doing the CPUs and chipsets?

Microsoft Selects Chartered for Xbox 360 CPU Production

Chartered will manufacture Microsoft’s Xbox 360 CPU using 65nm SOI technology from IBM. Production is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2007. The agreement follows Chartered's successful production of the 90nm SOI CPU for the launch of the Xbox 360 console, through an agreement with IBM.

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing is scheduled to launch its 32nm process technology in the fourth quarter of 2009, and move to 28nm in the first half of 2010, industry sources have revealed. The Singapore-based foundry is expected to update its process advancement at an upcoming technology forum in Taiwan.

Chartered may disclose plans to test run its 32nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process in fourth-quarter 2009, and unveil its roadmap for the 28nm bulk CMOS technology during the forum to be held tomorrow (September 2), the sources said. Chartered's 28nm node will be based on high-k metal-gate (HKMG) technology from the IBM-led joint-development alliance, and built on a gate-first approach.

Chartered's 2009 Technology Forum will take place in Hsinchu, Taiwan, with CEO Song-Hwee Chia hosting the event, according to information from its website. The topics to be featured include Chartered's roadmap for 32nm, 28nm and beyond processes, and its readiness for 45/40nm LP technology.

http://www.digitimes.com/print/a20090831PD204.html

 

[ClariorHincHonos]

This makes things interesting for sure. Sure as hell helps solve any production issues they might have had (in reference to volume).