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Baolt
This acquisition means nothing than moving money from 1 pocket to other. All ...
elctrnx_lyf
I don't think technology will hit the road block or a brick wall. There is ...
Firm acquires Globalfoundries' parent
Mark Lapedus
2/16/2011 12:56 PM EST
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development Co. has acquired Advanced Technology Investment Co. (ATIC), the parent of Globalfoundries Inc.
ATIC will become a wholly owned business of Mubadala. In 2002, Mubadala-the Arabic word for ''exchange''-was established by the Government of Abu Dhabi, ''with a mandate to facilitate the diversification of Abu Dhabi’s economy.''
Mubadala is an investment arm. It brings together and manages a multi-billion dollar portfolio of local, regional, and international investments and partners with leading global organizations to operate businesses across a wide range of industry sectors including aerospace, energy, healthcare, industry, information communications and technology, infrastructure, real estate and hospitality.
Mubadala played a key role in launching ATIC in 2008, ''as an element of Abu Dhabi’s long-term strategy to diversify its economy through investments in high-technology sectors.''
In 2009, the chip-manufacturing arm from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) was spun off into a new foundry company. The foundry spinoff, Globalfoundries, become a joint venture between AMD and Abu Dhabi's ATIC. At the time, AMD moved to become a fabless chip maker.
In September, ATIC agreed to acquire Singapore-based Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. for a total of $3.9 billion. Chartered has been folded into Globalfoundries.
As part of a recent and complex transaction, AMD reduced its stake in GlobalFoundries from about 30 percent to 14 percent. In the deal, ATIC now owns 86 percent of GlobalFoundries, a U.S.-based silicon foundry vendor. Previously, ATIC owned 70 percent.
According to Mubadala, today’s announcement will have no impact on the management, day-to-day operations or business plans of ATIC or its Globalfoundries subsidiary. Investment plans for Globalfoundries facilities remain unchanged. Ibrahim Ajami will continue to lead ATIC as its CEO. As chief Operating officer of Mubadala, Waleed Al Muhairi will continue his ''deep involvement'' with ATIC, where he is chairman.
Globalfoundries, a newcomer in the foundry industry, has recently picked a fight with TSMC, UMC and others. Perhaps ATIC is over its head in the arena and Mubadala has stepped in to help. Mubadala has a much broader portfolio and more experience in management.
Foundry Globalfoundries plans to double its capital spending in 2011 to $5.4 billion. It is also building a 300-mm fab in New York. ATIC wants to build a fab in Abu Dhabi and is reporting evaluating fab construction contractors.
But rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) recently raised its capital spending. TSMC expects 2011 capital expenditures to be about $7.8 billion in 2011. TSMC's original capital spending budget was about $6 billion for this year, according to analysts.
Another rival, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., is also boosting its foundry spending.
ATIC will become a wholly owned business of Mubadala. In 2002, Mubadala-the Arabic word for ''exchange''-was established by the Government of Abu Dhabi, ''with a mandate to facilitate the diversification of Abu Dhabi’s economy.''
Mubadala is an investment arm. It brings together and manages a multi-billion dollar portfolio of local, regional, and international investments and partners with leading global organizations to operate businesses across a wide range of industry sectors including aerospace, energy, healthcare, industry, information communications and technology, infrastructure, real estate and hospitality.
Mubadala played a key role in launching ATIC in 2008, ''as an element of Abu Dhabi’s long-term strategy to diversify its economy through investments in high-technology sectors.''
In 2009, the chip-manufacturing arm from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) was spun off into a new foundry company. The foundry spinoff, Globalfoundries, become a joint venture between AMD and Abu Dhabi's ATIC. At the time, AMD moved to become a fabless chip maker.
In September, ATIC agreed to acquire Singapore-based Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. for a total of $3.9 billion. Chartered has been folded into Globalfoundries.
As part of a recent and complex transaction, AMD reduced its stake in GlobalFoundries from about 30 percent to 14 percent. In the deal, ATIC now owns 86 percent of GlobalFoundries, a U.S.-based silicon foundry vendor. Previously, ATIC owned 70 percent.
According to Mubadala, today’s announcement will have no impact on the management, day-to-day operations or business plans of ATIC or its Globalfoundries subsidiary. Investment plans for Globalfoundries facilities remain unchanged. Ibrahim Ajami will continue to lead ATIC as its CEO. As chief Operating officer of Mubadala, Waleed Al Muhairi will continue his ''deep involvement'' with ATIC, where he is chairman.
Globalfoundries, a newcomer in the foundry industry, has recently picked a fight with TSMC, UMC and others. Perhaps ATIC is over its head in the arena and Mubadala has stepped in to help. Mubadala has a much broader portfolio and more experience in management.
Foundry Globalfoundries plans to double its capital spending in 2011 to $5.4 billion. It is also building a 300-mm fab in New York. ATIC wants to build a fab in Abu Dhabi and is reporting evaluating fab construction contractors.
But rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) recently raised its capital spending. TSMC expects 2011 capital expenditures to be about $7.8 billion in 2011. TSMC's original capital spending budget was about $6 billion for this year, according to analysts.
Another rival, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., is also boosting its foundry spending.
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nicolas.mokhoff
2/16/2011 2:54 PM EST
It will interesting to see the political implications of foundry ownership by pseudo-government agencies. Will price and delivery always rule foundry process, or will ever-more government encroachment become the ace in a high-stake poker game?
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SiliconAsia
2/16/2011 3:53 PM EST
Whether this is a high-stake poker game or not the destiny is clear. The one that has technology will win. I mean deliverable/manufacturable technology - not the powerpoint.
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R.J.D.
2/16/2011 4:03 PM EST
Chartered was previously owned by Singapore's sovereign wealth funds (EDB/Temasek). Mubadala is Abu Dhanbi's.
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SiliconAsia
2/16/2011 5:19 PM EST
R.J.D.
Chartered wasn't a shining company in foundry then. Can Abu Dhabi do a better just pouring money? Money is just a part of formular not a whole thing.
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goafrit
2/16/2011 7:42 PM EST
This is a losing industry. Building foundry is not a good business. It is expensive and tech advancement makes it not great enough to recoup all the investments.
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Semicon guru
2/17/2011 11:51 AM EST
Technolgy is going to hit the brick wall soon and doubt that anyone will be able to get back the ROI fast enough when there's more competiton pumping cash and building mega fabs. Also on the demand side, consumers are reluctant to send more than $1,000 on a digital product as their pockets are tight with uncertainty. Leading companies are building ecosystem that can manage the supply chain from fabrication, finished goods, partners, retail channel and end consumers. Without these, "me too followers " will only lose in the end.
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elctrnx_lyf
2/22/2011 12:24 PM EST
I don't think technology will hit the road block or a brick wall. There is slaways something left out and we will see more and more electronics in the future. But the fabs are always tricky, return on the investments varies significantly since there is huge investments involved in building a fab.
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Baolt
2/28/2011 4:39 PM EST
This acquisition means nothing than moving money from 1 pocket to other. All board remains same, a sheik's relative versus other relative. Besides how wonderful to see huge investments at the time when global crisis effects are seen on spendings at semiconductor business. No matter what, political support with govermental incentives always will have effect on global production of semiconductors. Exp. intel-israel bargain for new fab...
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