X-Fab

The X-FAB Silicon Foundries is a group of semiconductor foundries. The group specializes in the fabrication of analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits for fabless semiconductor companies, as well as MEMS and solutions for high voltage applications.

History

The company was formed with parts of former semiconductor combine ''Kombinat Mikroelektronik Erfurt'', which had its headquarters and several production facilities in Erfurt.

As result of the German reunification came the dismantling of the old conglomerate and a partial privatization of the individual enterprises. The facilities in Erfurt were partially privatized in 1992 (partly owned by '' N.V.'' and Thuringia), including the ''X-FAB Gesellschaft zur Fertigung von Wafern mbH'' (manufacturing) and the ''Thesys Gesellschaft für Mikroelektronik mbH'' (design). In 1999, both enterprises were sold to the company ''ELEX N.V.'' owned by Roland Duchâtelet, a Belgian investor. X-Fab was founded in 1992, as a subsidiary of Elex NV. X-Fab acquired its first semiconductor fab in Erfurt, from German state trustee organisation (Treuhandanstalt).

In 2006, X-Fab merged with 1st Silicon, a semiconductor fabrication plant located in Sarawak, Malaysia. The Sarawak government acquired 35% of X-Fab shares in the merger.

In 2007, X-Fab acquired the foundry business from ZMD, thus enabling ZMD to focus on its core business of design and developing analog mixed signal devices.

Until 2009, the X-Fab group also had a manufacturing facility in Plymouth, but the wafer plant in Plymouth, United Kingdom, was sold in December 2009 to Plus Semi, the old Plessey Semiconductors plant in Swindon, England.

In 2012, the X-Fab group acquired MEMS foundry Itzehoe GmbH where the latter was a spin-off from Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology (ISIT). Nevertheless, X-Fab continue its cooperation with ISIT in chip business.

In February 2011, the company added Rudi De Winter as co-CEO. He later assumed the role of CEO in 2014.

In 2015, PowerAmerica (a research institute under Manufacturing USA network) collaborated with X-Fab production facility in Lubbock, Texas to produce 150-mm Silicon carbide wafers.

In 2016, the X-FAB group acquired the assets of Altis Semiconductor, making the fab in France their sixth manufacturing site.

In July 2020, X-FAB temporarily halted IT systems and production lines to prevent damage following a Maze ransomware attack.

Corporate affairs

The main shareholders of X-Fab Silicon Foundries are Xtrion NV (61.4%) and Sarawak Technology Holdings Sdn Bhd (35.2%). In 2017, X-Fab made an initial public offering (IPO) in France, where 36.2% of the shares were available for purchase. Meanwhile, Xtrion reduced its shareholdings to 48.3% and Sarawak Technology Holdings reduced its shares to 14.4%. Xtrion NV also holds majority shares in Melexis NV, where the latter is a major customer for X-Fab. Meanwhile, Sarawak Technology Holdings Sdn Bhd is a wholly owned subsidiary of the government of Sarawak. Both Xtrion and Sarawak Technology Holdings have the power to appoint two directors each onto the board of directors of X-Fab. X-Fab revenue reached US$ 512.9 million in 2016.

Production capabilities

As of 2017, X-Fab has six wafer plants around the world, with production capacity of 9,4000 200-mm sized wafers, ranging from 800 nm process to 130 nm process:
*Erfurt, Germany - producing 150-mm CMOS semiconductors, and 150-mm/200-mm microelectromechanical systems (MEMS devices)
*Dresden, Germany - producing 200-mm CMOS semiconductors
*Itzehoe, Germany - producing 200-mm MEMS devices
*Corbeil-Essonnes, France - producing 200-mm CMOS semiconductors
*Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia - producing 200-mm CMOS semiconducors
*Lubbock, Texas, United States - producing 150-mm CMOS and BiCMOS semiconductors

X-Fab employs a total of 2,946 people in all its production facilities as of 2016.

X-fab's chips are used in automotive, industrial, consumer, and medical industries. The biggest buyer of X-fab's chips is Melexis NV (34%), followed by other companies such as CEITEC Brazil, ELVEES Multicore Russia, GlobalFoundries USA, MMOS, and Archiwave. As of 2016, X-Fab's European/Middle East customers accounted for 54% of the sales, followed by Asia (36%) and North America (10%).

See also

* Pure-Play Semiconductor Foundry
* List of semiconductor fabrication plants

References

External links

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History of the combine ''VEB Mikroelektronik "Karl Marx"'' at Erfurt
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Foundry semiconductor companies
Semiconductor companies of Germany
Companies based in Thuringia
Erfurt
German brands