According to the parties, the new semiconductor manufacturing facility to be built near the existing 300mm facility of STMicroelectronics in Crolles, is targeted to achieve full capacity by 2026 and at full build-out, will produce up to 620,000 300mm wafers per year
The new 300mm semiconductor manufacturing facility will be jointly operated by ST and GF. (Credit: GlobalFoundries Inc.)
Switzerland-based STMicroelectronics (ST) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with GlobalFoundries (GF) to build a new, jointly-operated 300mm semiconductor manufacturing facility in France.
The new facility will be located near the existing 300mm facility of STMicroelectronics in Crolles.
According to the parties, the new semiconductor manufacturing facility is targeted to reach full capacity by 2026. At full build-out, it will produce up to 620,000 300mm wafers per year.
Both the partners are aiming to build capacity for their European and international customer base. The new facility will support various technologies, especially, FD-SOI-based technologies, and will span multiple variants.
The technologies include GlobalFoundries’ FDX technology and STMicroelectronics’ technology roadmap down to 18nm for industrial, automotive, Internet of Things (IoT), and communications infrastructure applications.
STMicroelectronics president and CEO Jean-Marc Chery said: “This new manufacturing facility will support our $20 billion+ revenue ambition. Working with GF will allow us to go faster, lower the risk thresholds, and reinforce the European FD-SOI ecosystem. We will have more capacity to support our European and global customers as they transition to digitalisation and decarbonisation.”
Both firms are expected to get substantial financial support from the French government for the new 300mm semiconductor manufacturing facility.
GlobalFoundries CEO Thomas Caulfield said that the jointly operated, new 300mm manufacturing capacity expansion will make use of STMicroelectronics’ existing facility infrastructure. This, Caulfield, said will help his company to expedite its growth while gaining from economies of scale to offer additional capacity on its 22FDX platform.
Caulfield said: “Our global footprint enables GF to not only meet our customers capacity needs but also provides them supply chain security. The partnership investment with the French government, along with our long-term customer agreements, creates the right economic model for GF’s investment.”
The new project is subject to the signing of definitive agreements and approval from the European Commission’s DG Competition and other regulators. It is also contingent on the completion of the consultation with STMicroelectronics’ French Works Council.