Spansion to join Sematech manufacturing initiative

MANHASSET, N.Y. — Spansion LLC will join the International Sematech Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI) effective Jan. 1, 2005, becoming the eleventh member of a global alliance of semiconductor companies focused exclusively on manufacturing effectiveness.

Spansion, the Flash memory subsidiary of AMD and Fujitsu Ltd. will augment an ISMI roster that also includes AMD, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Infineon, Intel, Freescale, Panasonic, Philips, Texas Instruments, and TSMC.

ISMI, a subsidiary of Sematech (Austin, Texas), was formed a year ago as a new consortium dedicated to helping semiconductor manufacturers improve factory productivity and reduce cost per wafer, and ultimately cost per die.

"The addition of Spansion, with its advanced Flash memory technology, adds an important industry perspective to ISMI's membership," said Michael R. Polcari, Sematech president and chief executive, in a statement. "Through this relationship, we also gain another important connection to Japanese semiconductor manufacturing."