GLOBALFOUNDRIES Completes Acquisition of IBM Microelectronics Business

[btarunr]

GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced that it has completed its acquisition of IBM's Microelectronics business. With the acquisition, GLOBALFOUNDRIES gains differentiated technologies to enhance its product offerings in key growth markets, from mobility and Internet of Things (IoT) to Big Data and high-performance computing. The deal strengthens the company's workforce, adding decades of experience and expertise in semiconductor development, device expertise, design, and manufacturing. And the addition of more than 16,000 patents and applications makes GLOBALFOUNDRIES the holder of one of the largest semiconductor patent portfolios in the world.

"Today we have significantly enhanced our technology development capabilities and reinforce our long-term commitment to investing in R&D for technology leadership," said Sanjay Jha, chief executive officer of GLOBALFOUNDRIES. "We have added world-class technologists and differentiated technologies, such as RF and ASIC, to meet our customers' needs and accelerate our progress toward becoming a foundry powerhouse." Through the addition of some of the brightest and most innovative scientists and engineers in the semiconductor industry, GLOBALFOUNDRIES solidifies its path to advanced process technologies at 10 nm, 7 nm, and beyond.

In RF, GLOBALFOUNDRIES now has technology leadership in wireless front-end module solutions. IBM has developed world-class capabilities in both RF silicon-on-insulator (RFSOI) and high-performance silicon-germanium (SiGe) technologies, which are highly complementary to GLOBALFOUNDRIES' existing mainstream technology offerings. The company will continue to invest to deliver the next generation of its RFSOI roadmap and looks to capture opportunities in the automotive and home markets.

In ASICs, GLOBALFOUNDRIES now has technology leadership in wired communications. This enables the company to provide the design capabilities and IP necessary to develop these high-performance customized products and solutions. With increased investments, the company plans to develop additional ASIC solutions in areas of storage, printers and networking. The most recent ASIC family, announced in January and built on GLOBALFOUNDRIES' 14nm-LPP technology, has been well accepted in the marketplace with several design wins.

GLOBALFOUNDRIES increases its manufacturing scale with fabs in East Fishkill, NY and Essex Junction, VT. These facilities will operate as part of the company's growing global operations, adding capacity and top-notch engineers to better meet the needs of its existing and new customers.

Moreover, the transaction builds on significant investments in the burgeoning Northeast Technology Corridor, which includes GLOBALFOUNDRIES' leading-edge Fab 8 facility in Saratoga County, NY and joint R&D activities at SUNY Polytechnic Institute's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Albany, NY. The company's presence in the northeast now exceeds 8,000 direct employees.

The acquisition includes an exclusive commitment to supply IBM with some of the world's most advanced semiconductor processor solutions for the next 10 years. GLOBALFOUNDRIES also gets direct access to IBM's continued investment in world-class semiconductor research, solidifying its path to advanced process geometries at 10nm and beyond.

For more information about the acquisition, please visit this page.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[btarunr]

Big story and no comments. OK, let me break this down for you.

GloFo just bought a ton of IP and scientists/engineers that will make its 10 nm and 7 nm (and beyond) targets much closer. So it will positively affect AMD's CPU development cycle.

 

[happita]

Through the addition of some of the brightest and most innovative scientists and engineers in the semiconductor industry, GLOBALFOUNDRIES solidifies its path to advanced process technologies at 10 nm, 7 nm, and beyond.

The acquisition includes an exclusive commitment to supply IBM with some of the world's most advanced semiconductor processor solutions for the next 10 years. GLOBALFOUNDRIES also gets direct access to IBM's continued investment in world-class semiconductor research, solidifying its path to advanced process geometries at 10nm and beyond.

The way I see it, it benefits IBM the most, or am I not seeing something here? I remember AMD had a partnership with GloFo, is this still true?

 

[btarunr]

The way I see it, it benefits IBM the most, or am I not seeing something here? I remember AMD had a partnership with GloFo, is this still true?

IBM doesn't make CPUs, AMD does, and AMD makes CPUs using GloFo.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Since when doesn't IBM make CPUs?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POWER8

 

[btarunr]

Since when doesn't IBM make CPUs?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POWER8

I meant x86 chips.

In any case how does this deal benefit IBM CPUs, after having sold off silicon fab tech off to GloFo? Not much. It will source Power8 chips from GloFo, but also lets GloFo get access to new fab tech, which will speed up AMD's product cycles.

 

[dorsetknob]

"I believe IBM still has a x86 licence" they just don't bother making them

story lack some info as well
like
Not that GlobalFoundries is putting up a lot of money to take over IBM's chips unit. It's rather the other way around; IBM was so desperate to unload the lossmaking division that it was willing to pay GlobalFoundries $1.5bn to prop up the unit while it tries to make it profitable.

you failed to mention that ( Sub prime car boot sale anyone )

 

[btarunr]

"I believe IBM still has a x86 licence" they just don't bother making them

They can't make anything bigger than an i686 chip with it, even if they wanted to. Intel and AMD innovated a ton of things for x86, while cross-licensing them to each other.

 

[dorsetknob]

They Still have that License for x86 and that is Worth $$$$$$
Intel will not sell/lease any one a new License
and as i said
" they just don't bother making them" but Could if they so desired to and as long as they did not infringe any ip or patents granted since their license was issued Intel or Amd could not Do SHIT ABOUT IT

 

[Steevo]

IBM and AMD were the ones who made water immersion lithography a thing, and its what allowed the AMD processors to start providing more performance than Intel at the time.

 

[dorsetknob]

story lack some info as well
like
Not that GlobalFoundries is putting up a lot of money to take over IBM's chips unit. It's rather the other way around; IBM was so desperate to unload the lossmaking division that it was willing to pay GlobalFoundries $1.5bn to prop up the unit while it tries to make it profitable.

you failed to mention that

No Comment on that seeing as its VERY IMPORTANT TO THE WHOLE STORY

 

[btarunr]

They Still have that License for x86 and that is Worth $$$$$$

x86 license is non-transferable. An x86 licensee can buy or be bought by another licensee.

So is this a precursor to IBM buying AMD?

 

[rtwjunkie]

"I believe IBM still has a x86 licence" they just don't bother making them

story lack some info as well
like
Not that GlobalFoundries is putting up a lot of money to take over IBM's chips unit. It's rather the other way around; IBM was so desperate to unload the lossmaking division that it was willing to pay GlobalFoundries $1.5bn to prop up the unit while it tries to make it profitable.

you failed to mention that ( Sub prime car boot sale anyone )

That was all covered last year when the deal was announced and both GloFo and IBM announced which former IBM plants would remain open. This story is just the conclusion of the deal.

 

[dorsetknob]

They Still have that License for x86 and that is Worth $$$$$$
Intel will not sell/lease any one a new License[/QUOTE]
YOU ARE ALMOST CORRECT
THIS IS RIGHT x86 license is non-transferable.
THIS IS WRONG An x86 licensee can buy or be bought by another licensee.

See your above statment of "x86 license is non-transferable."
in other words they would be wasting money as its non transferable

Bearing in mind the Above GLOBALFOUNDRIES have NOT Acquired any license to manufacture x86 They will be allowed to manufacture x86 on behalf of a x86 license holder Much in the same way they manufacture wafers and chips for and on behalf of OTHERS

edit

x86 license is non-transferable. An x86 licensee can buy or be bought by another licensee.

you just contradicted yourself

GloFo just bought a ton of IP and scientists/engineers

Has GloFo entered the Slave market what does a scientists/engineers cost on the slave block these days

 

[dwade]

What if Global Foundries buy AMD? How big will the irony be?

 

[dorsetknob]

and with this money
"IBM was so desperate to unload the lossmaking division that it was willing to pay GlobalFoundries $1.5bn"

 

[AsRock]

Wouldn't that be cool if IBM released a 6x86 again haha, don't know if i would trust another LOL.

Anyways what good for AMD is good for the gander ( nvidia and us )

 

[btarunr]

Has GloFo entered the Slave market what does a scientists/engineers cost on the slave block these days

It bought an entire division, so the employees go where the division goes, if they want to keep their contracts/jobs. FIFA is the slave market.

 

[a_ump]

that's awesome, i am glad to see underdog foundry GloBo moving up some. Its kind of phenominal isn't it. I mean i'd imagine that's one of the harder industries to get in and succeed. TSMC has been around for like ever and yet they're struggling right now. So what did GloBo do right to get this far?

I would love to know.

And to the post above, yes it would be awesome if AMD was bought out by GloBo lol

 

[AsRock]

that's awesome, i am glad to see underdog foundry GloBo moving up some. Its kind of phenominal isn't it. I mean i'd imagine that's one of the harder industries to get in and succeed. TSMC has been around for like ever and yet they're struggling right now. So what did GloBo do right to get this far?

I would love to know.

And to the post above, yes it would be awesome if AMD was bought out by GloBo lol

It be ironic lol.

 

[xenocide]

I was surprised more people weren't talking about this.