STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) has announced a comprehensive program to reshape its global manufacturing footprint and optimize its cost base
focuses on advancing manufacturing infrastructure in 300mm silicon and 200mm silicon carbide technologies
Key initiatives include:Scaling up Agrate (Italy) 300mm fab capacity to 4,000 wafers per week by 2027
with potential expansion to 14,000 wpwIncreasing Crolles (France) 300mm fab capacity to 14,000 wpw by 2027
expandable to 20,000 wpwLaunching 200mm silicon carbide production in Catania by Q4 2025Implementing workforce changes affecting up to 2,800 positions globally through voluntary measures
The company aims to achieve annual cost savings in the high triple-digit million-dollar range by the end of 2027
while strengthening its position in advanced manufacturing and R&D in Europe
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) ha annunciato un programma completo per rimodellare la sua presenza produttiva globale e ottimizzare la propria base di costi
si concentra sul miglioramento delle infrastrutture di produzione nelle tecnologie del silicio da 300 mm e del carburo di silicio da 200 mm
Le iniziative chiave includono:Aumentare la capacità dello stabilimento da 300 mm di Agrate (Italia) a 4.000 wafer a settimana entro il 2027
con potenziale espansione a 14.000 wpwAumentare la capacità dello stabilimento da 300 mm di Crolles (Francia) a 14.000 wpw entro il 2027
espandibile a 20.000 wpwAvviare la produzione di carburo di silicio da 200 mm a Catania entro il quarto trimestre del 2025Implementare cambiamenti nel personale che interessano fino a 2.800 posizioni a livello globale attraverso misure volontarie
L'azienda punta a conseguire risparmi annuali sui costi nell'ordine di centinaia di milioni di dollari entro la fine del 2027
rafforzando al contempo la propria posizione nella produzione avanzata e nella ricerca e sviluppo in Europa
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) ha anunciado un programa integral para remodelar su huella de fabricación global y optimizar su base de costos
que abarca desde el ejercicio fiscal 2025 hasta 2027
se centra en avanzar en la infraestructura de fabricación en tecnologías de silicio de 300 mm y carburo de silicio de 200 mm
Las iniciativas clave incluyen:Aumentar la capacidad de la fábrica de 300 mm en Agrate (Italia) a 4,000 obleas por semana para 2027
con una posible expansión a 14,000 obleas por semanaAumentar la capacidad de la fábrica de 300 mm en Crolles (Francia) a 14,000 obleas por semana para 2027
ampliable a 20,000 obleas por semanaLanzar la producción de carburo de silicio de 200 mm en Catania para el cuarto trimestre de 2025Implementar cambios en la fuerza laboral que afecten hasta 2,800 puestos a nivel global a través de medidas voluntarias
La empresa tiene como objetivo lograr ahorros anuales en costos en el rango de cientos de millones de dólares para finales de 2027
mientras fortalece su posición en la fabricación avanzada y la I+D en Europa
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM)는 글로벌 제조 발자국을 재편하고 비용 기반을 최적화하기 위한 포괄적인 프로그램을 발표했습니다
300mm 실리콘 및 200mm 실리콘 카바이드 기술의 제조 인프라를 발전시키는 데 중점을 둡니다
주요 이니셔티브는 다음과 같습니다:Agrate (이탈리아)의 300mm 팹 용량을 2027년까지 주당 4,000 웨이퍼로 확대하고
최대 14,000 웨이퍼로 확장 가능성Crolles (프랑스)의 300mm 팹 용량을 2027년까지 주당 14,000 웨이퍼로 늘리고
20,000 웨이퍼로 확장 가능2025년 4분기까지 카타니아에서 200mm 실리콘 카바이드 생산 시작자발적 조치를 통해 전 세계적으로 최대 2,800개의 직무에 영향을 미치는 인력 변화 구현
유럽에서의 고급 제조 및 연구개발 분야의 입지를 강화하는 것을 목표로 하고 있습니다
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) a annoncé un programme complet pour remodeler son empreinte de fabrication mondiale et optimiser sa base de coûts
se concentre sur l'avancement des infrastructures de fabrication dans les technologies de silicium de 300 mm et de carbure de silicium de 200 mm
Les initiatives clés comprennent:Augmenter la capacité de l'usine de 300 mm à Agrate (Italie) à 4 000 wafers par semaine d'ici 2027
avec une expansion potentielle à 14 000 wafers par semaineAugmenter la capacité de l'usine de 300 mm à Crolles (France) à 14 000 wafers par semaine d'ici 2027
extensible à 20 000 wafers par semaineLancer la production de carbure de silicium de 200 mm à Catane d'ici le quatrième trimestre 2025Mettre en œuvre des changements de personnel affectant jusqu'à 2 800 postes dans le monde grâce à des mesures volontaires
L'entreprise vise à réaliser des économies annuelles de coûts dans la fourchette des centaines de millions de dollars d'ici la fin de 2027
tout en renforçant sa position dans la fabrication avancée et la R&D en Europe
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) hat ein umfassendes Programm angekündigt
um seine globale Fertigungsstruktur neu zu gestalten und seine Kostenbasis zu optimieren
der sich über die Geschäftsjahre 2025 bis 2027 erstreckt
konzentriert sich auf den Ausbau der Fertigungsinfrastruktur in 300-mm-Silizium- und 200-mm-Siliziumkarbid-Technologien
Wichtige Initiativen umfassen:Die Kapazität des 300-mm-Werks in Agrate (Italien) bis 2027 auf 4.000 Wafer pro Woche zu erhöhen
mit der Möglichkeit einer Erweiterung auf 14.000 Wafer pro WocheDie Kapazität des 300-mm-Werks in Crolles (Frankreich) bis 2027 auf 14.000 Wafer pro Woche zu erhöhen
erweiterbar auf 20.000 Wafer pro WocheDie Produktion von 200-mm-Siliziumkarbid in Catania bis zum vierten Quartal 2025 zu startenÄnderungen des Personals
die bis zu 2.800 Stellen weltweit durch freiwillige Maßnahmen betreffen
bis Ende 2027 jährliche Kosteneinsparungen im hohen dreistelligen Millionen-Dollar-Bereich zu erzielen und gleichzeitig seine Position in der fortschrittlichen Fertigung und F&E in Europa zu stärken
STMicroelectronics has unveiled a significant restructuring program aimed at reshaping its manufacturing footprint while targeting high triple-digit million-dollar annual cost savings by 2027
The program includes reducing its workforce by up to 2,800 employees (approximately 5.6% of its 50,000 workforce) through voluntary measures over three years
The strategic repositioning focuses on two critical areas: (1) prioritizing investments in advanced 300mm silicon and 200mm silicon carbide wafer fabrication
and (2) maximizing efficiency of legacy 150mm and mature 200mm capabilities
This represents a necessary modernization of manufacturing assets to maintain competitive positioning in the global semiconductor market
The company is creating specialized manufacturing ecosystems - digital technologies in France
Key initiatives include doubling capacity at Italy's Agrate 300mm fab to 4,000 wafers per week by 2027 (expandable to 14,000)
increasing France's Crolles 300mm capacity to 14,000 wafers weekly (expandable to 20,000)
and building a new Silicon Carbide Campus in Catania starting production in Q4 2025
While the workforce reduction signals short-term challenges
the voluntary implementation approach and three-year timeline suggest a measured transition rather than urgent cost-cutting
The substantial cost savings target represents approximately 3-6% of annual revenue
which could meaningfully improve profitability once fully implemented
STMicroelectronics details company-wide program to reshape manufacturing footprint and resize global cost base
a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications
today disclosed further elements of its program to reshape its global manufacturing footprint
This comes as part of the program announced in October 2024 to further strengthen ST’s competitiveness
solidify its position as a global semiconductor leader
and ensure the long-term sustainability of its model as an Integrated Device Manufacturer by leveraging strategic assets globally across technology R&D
President and CEO of STMicroelectronics said: “The reshaping of our manufacturing footprint announced today will future proof our Integrated Device Manufacturer model with strategic assets in Europe and improve our ability to innovate even faster
As we focus on advanced manufacturing infrastructure and mainstream technologies
we will continue to leverage all of our existing sites and bring redefined missions for some of them to support their long-term success
We are committed to managing this program responsibly
and exclusively through voluntary measures
and high-volume manufacturing activities in Italy and France will continue to be central to our global operations and will be reinforced via planned investments in mainstream technologies”
Innovating and scaling up to increase efficiency across manufacturing operations
ST’s manufacturing strategy is evolving to accelerate the delivery of innovative
proprietary technologies and products at scale to customers globally
personal electronics and communication infrastructure applications
The reshaping and modernization of ST’s manufacturing operations aim to achieve two main objectives: prioritizing planned investments towards future-ready infrastructure such as 300mm silicon and 200mm silicon carbide wafer fabs to enable them to reach a critical scale and maximizing the productivity and efficiency of legacy 150mm capabilities and mature 200mm capabilities
ST plans to continue to invest in upgrading the technology used across its operations
deploying additional AI and automation for additional efficiency in technology R&D
Strengthening ST’s manufacturing ecosystem
the reshaping of ST’s manufacturing footprint will design and strengthen ST’s complementary ecosystems: in France around digital technologies
in Italy around analog and power technologies and in Singapore on mature technologies
The optimization of these operations aim to achieve full capacity utilization and drive technological differentiation to compete globally
each of ST’s current sites will continue to play a long-term role within the company’s global operations
Building 300mm silicon megafabs in Agrate and Crolles
The Agrate (Italy) 300mm fab will continue to be scaled up
with the aim to become ST’s flagship high-volume manufacturing facility for smart power and mixed signal technologies
The plan is to double its current capacity to 4,000 wafers per week (wpw) by 2027
with planned modular expansions increasing capacity up to 14,000 wpw
As we increase our focus on 300mm manufacturing
the Agrate 200mm fab will refocus on MEMS.The Crolles (France) 300mm fab will be further cemented as the core of ST’s digital products ecosystem
The plan is to increase capacity to 14,000 wpw by 2027 with planned modular expansions increasing capacity up to 20,000 wpw
we will convert the Crolles 200mm fab to support Electrical Wafer Sorting high volume manufacturing and advanced packaging technologies
hosting activities that do not exist today in Europe
The focus will be on next-generation leading technologies including optical sensing and silicon photonics
Specialized Manufacturing and Competence Center for Power Electronics in Catania
Catania will continue to serve as a center of excellence for power and wide-bandgap semiconductor devices
The development of the new Silicon Carbide Campus is progressing as planned
with production of 200mm wafers set to begin in Q4 2025
reinforcing ST’s leadership in next-generation power technologies
Our resources supporting Catania’s current 150mm and EWS capabilities will be refocused on 200mm silicon carbide and silicon power semiconductor production
Rousset (France) will remain focused on 200mm manufacturing
with additional volumes reallocated from other sites enabling full saturation of existing manufacturing capacity for optimized efficiency
Tours (France) will remain focused on its 200mm silicon production line for select technologies
while other activities - including legacy 150mm manufacturing activities - will be transferred to different ST sites
and it will also remain a center of competence for GaN
The Tours site will also host a new activity: panel-level-packaging
a technology for complex semiconductor applications that will be key for ST in the future
ST’s high-volume fab for mature technologies
will remain focused on 200mm silicon manufacturing and will also host our consolidated global legacy 150mm silicon capabilities
ST’s high-volume test and packaging fab in Europe will be upgraded
with the addition of advanced automated technologies which will be key to support next-generation products
As ST reshapes its manufacturing footprint over the next three years
the workforce size and required skill sets will evolve
Advanced manufacturing will shift roles from legacy processes involving repetitive manual tasks to a stronger focus on process control
ST will manage this transition through voluntary measures
with a continued commitment to ongoing constructive dialogue and negotiations with employee representatives in accordance with applicable national regulations
the program is expected to see up to 2,800 people leaving the company globally on a voluntary basis
These changes are expected to occur mainly in 2026 and 2027
Regular updates will be provided to stakeholders as the program progresses
INVESTOR RELATIONS:Jérôme RamelEVP Corporate Development & Integrated External Communication Tel: +41 22 929 59 20 jerome.ramel@st.com
MEDIA RELATIONS:Alexis BretonCorporate External CommunicationsTel: + 33 6 59 16 79 08alexis.breton@st.com
Already have an account? Login
STMicroelectronics has developed a silicon photonics technology for next generation 800Gb/s and 1.6Tb/s optical modules in data centres
The PIC100 silicon photonics (SiPHo) process on 300mm wafers at Crolles in France can integrate multiple complex components into a single chip
while ST’s next generation proprietary BiCMOS technology brings ultra high-speed and low power processing alongside
This is being driven by the AI boom for both rack interconnect and chip-to-chip links
general manager for the RF and optical communications sub-group at STMicroelectronics
“In the new era of AI servers with all elements optically interconnected
ST has the technology for datacentre challenges for higher performance and greater energy efficiency for the power supply and the interconnect,“ he said
“The AI boom pushes the need for better performance and more important better power efficiency in data centres.“
The company is entering mass production of silicon photonic devices at Crolles in France on 300mm wafers with yields comparable to that of digital devices
“We believe we have the best BiCMOS technology for the electro integrated circuits (EIC) but more importnantly most designs are moving to silicon photonics
potentially even eating into short range copper
This performance gain can be use for power advantages to provide a better signal to remove the DSP and save power.“
“We decided to hold as the market was not ready but now we believe it is
We believe this is the only 300mm technology with 200Gbit/s per lane
We can attach fibre to the edge of PIC for less losses and easier integration for both co-packaged and pluggable modules,“ said Fraisse
“This represents the first step for our PIC product-family and
thanks to close collaboration with key partners across the entire value chain
our ambition is to become a key supplier of silicon photonics and BiCMOS wafers for the datacenter and AI cluster market
be it pluggable optics today or optical I/O tomorrow,” said Remi El-Ouazzane
Digital ICs and RF products Group at STMicroelectronics
A key customer in the development is Amazon Web Services (AWS)
which has its own AI training and inference chips
“AWS has been intimately involved in the development of the silicon photonics and we also have a cooperation with the leading supplier of optical modules for 1.6Tbit/s systems,“ said Fraisse
“PIC100 will enable interconnection between any workload including Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AWS is working with STMicroelectronics based on their demonstrated capability to make PIC100 a leading SiPho technology for the optical and AI market.” said Nafea Bshara
Vice President and Distinguished Engineer at Amazon Web Services
There is another market coming for SiPho which is chip to chip interconnect. This is a key area for startups such as Celestial AI and Lightmatter
“ST will provide all the tools to build these optical I/Os within the PIC100 design platform,“ he said
The BiCMOS for the EIC devices uses the B55 and B55x silicon germanium (SiGe) process developed as part of the SHIFT project for RF devices and is now being used for a 200 Gbit/s/lane transimpedance amplifier (TIA)
“We have 20 large scale customers designing EICs and getting more and more traction
We can handle the entire value of the supply chain from the chip design
assembly and electrooptic testing which will be a valuable offering to our customers,“ he said
The PIC100 process on an SOI substrate has a 50GHz bandwidth with silicon and silicon nitride (SiN) waveguides
SiGe diodes with a thick core to couple the fibre to the edge of a chip with low losses
“We are bringing the optical interconnect as close as possible to the GPU
You would connect the SERDES to an optical I/O engine built of the EIC and modulated by the PIC and connected to the fibre
The laser is external and built with III-V technology and coupled to the PIC.”
A process development kit (PDK) for PIC100 will help chip developers use the technology
“There is a PDK open to all out customers based on devices we have developed at ST with a reference modulator
but we will also support customisation of the different devices,” said Fraisse
“What is important for us is the yield and reliability for the solution to be viable in an AI cluster.“
The PIC technology will ramp up this year in H2 2025
“We see 200Gbit/s/lane ramping now and one can see that new generations are coming every two years and we have seen a big acceleration so I would expect 400Gbit/s per lane in two years in significant deployment in infrastructure,“ he said
“This is the right time for ST to introduce new power efficient silicon photonics technology and complementing it with a new generation of BiCMOS for our customers to design the next wave of optical interconnect products
which will enable 800Git/s and 1.6Tbit/s solutions for the hyperscalers,” said El-Ouazzane
www.st.com
As US President Joe Biden prepares to leave office on January 20
concluding a presidency marked by CHIPS Act initiatives to expand US semiconductor manufacturing
Europe's parallel attempts to expand local semiconductor capacity appear to be losing momentum
Germany has secured TSMC's investment in the European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (ESMC)
Infineon Technologies and Bosch are also advancing their expansion projects in Dresden
Intel's advanced wafer fab in Magdeburg has been stalled for over two years
awaiting key decisions that remain unresolved
A significant setback lies in the EUR5.7 billion joint wafer fab venture between STMicroelectronics and GlobalFoundries (GF) in France
Announced during the 2022 "Choose France" summit with substantial media attention
The reasons behind the delay remain unclear
Recent earnings calls from STMicroelectronics and GF have provided little clarity
leaving the project's status in limbo and confirmation pending from both companies
The EUR5.7 billion wafer fab project by STMicroelectronics and GF in Crolles
Unveiled during the July 2022 "Choose France" summit and endorsed by French President Emmanuel Macron
the initiative was envisioned as a key pillar of Europe's semiconductor strategy
GF announced European Commission approval of subsidies under the European Chips Act to fund a 12-inch wafer fab targeting automotive
the total project cost was estimated at EUR7.5 billion
supported by France's Bpifrance under the "France 2030" initiative
no progress has been reported in 18 months
Bloomberg indicates the project has been shelved
GF CEO Thomas Caulfield criticized Germany's large subsidies for TSMC
suggesting they hindered GF's subsidy applications for its Dresden expansion
The comments reflect intensifying competition among global semiconductor players for government funding
STMicroelectronics and GF redirected their focus to China
highlighting the increasing challenges faced by Europe's semiconductor industry
GF held its annual technology summit in Shanghai
underscoring its strategic focus on the Chinese market
GF's Chief Corporate and Government Affairs Officer
the newly appointed President of Asia-Pacific and Chairman of GF China
introduced plans to expand regional operations
told Yicai Global that the company has no intention of building manufacturing facilities or entering basic licensing agreements in China
GF plans to partner with local manufacturers to improve production quality
Analysts note that GF is targeting Chinese firms with production capacity but limited advanced technologies
alongside exploring partnerships with OEMs and chip design companies
STMicroelectronics has also deepened its presence in China
CEO Jean-Marc Chery announced a partnership with Sanan Optoelectronics to expand an 8-inch SiC wafer fab
the company established a new collaboration with Hua Hong Semiconductor
emphasizing the competitive advantage of localized manufacturing
including Infineon Technologies and NXP Semiconductors
have similarly intensified their investments in "Made in China" initiatives by late 2024
These strategic pivots reflect the challenges European companies face amid the US-China tech rivalry
Chinese orders remain critical for semiconductor manufacturers
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang captured this dependency in a Financial Times interview
likening the absence of Chinese clients to "a swimming pool in a new fab but no water to swim in."
Underutilized production capacity continues to burden European firms and may partly explain the stalled STMicroelectronics-GF wafer fab project in France
Industry experts have long cautioned that Europe's limited downstream electronics demand is insufficient to support large-scale capacity expansions envisioned by the European Chips Act
Political headwinds threaten semiconductor plans
are grappling with political and economic challenges that threaten their semiconductor ambitions
The Russia-Ukraine war has disrupted Europe's energy supply
Even if a ceasefire brokered by a potential Trump administration materializes
the conflict's economic toll remains significant
Germany's reliance on Russian natural gas has hampered economic growth due to supply disruptions
prompting tax hikes and spending cuts to stabilize public finances
The rise of far-right conservatism in both nations further complicates large-scale industrial projects
Germany's vision of becoming a global semiconductor powerhouse is fading
while France faces the stark realities of its overly ambitious chip plans
A Trump presidency could exacerbate these hurdles
bringing extra geopolitical and economic uncertainties that further hinder Europe's efforts to regain a competitive edge in the global semiconductor market
Construction of an FDSOI fab owned jointly by STMicroelectronics and Globalfoundries appears to have been put on hold
“The rate and pace of our expansion in Crolles will be in alignment with customer demand and market conditions,” a Globalfoundries spokesperson told Bits&Chips
IoT and 5G/6G communication infrastructure applications
It’s no secret that these semiconductor markets are experiencing headwinds
as do most industry segments other than AI-related chips
Bits&Chips strengthens the high tech ecosystem in the Netherlands and Belgium and makes it healthier by supplying independent knowledge and information
Bits&Chips focuses on news and trends in embedded systems
Our coverage revolves around the influence of technology
Bits&Chips uses technologies such as functional and analytical cookies to improve the user experience of the website. By consenting to the use of these technologies, we may capture (personal) data, unique identifiers, device and browser data, IP addresses, location data and browsing behavior. Want to know more about how we use your data? Please read our privacy statement
Give permission or set your own preferences
"The ambitious development of the Crolles plant
The Franco-Italian group Stmicroelectronics is suffering from tensions between Paris and Rome
explaining that the “ambitious development” of the Crolles plant
GlobalFoundries – a company based in New York among the top five in the world in terms of semiconductor market share – could withdraw from the partnership with Stmicroelectronics aimed at expanding the Crolles site as part of the project renamed Liberty
The development of the Catania plant also seems to be slow
“Les Echos” traces the causes of the group's problems in France to the “slowness of procedures” of the bureaucracy and to the local protests
especially from environmental organizations
Added to these factors are the problems between France and Italy
with Rome withdrawing its support for the CEO Jean-Marc Chery
“Since (the Prime Minister) Giorgia Meloni is in power
Italians are obsessed with the number of appointments,” a source quoted by the newspaper as saying
Read also other news on Nova News
Click here and receive updates on WhatsApp
Follow us on the social channels of Nova News on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Telegram
The prospects for the plan to be picked up later are said to be “uncertain.”
The 300mm joint venture plan was announced in 2022 amid excitement around the European CHIPS Act and the terms were agreed in June 2023
The fab was expected to be constructed and at full manufacturing capacity by 2026
in the 18 months since the formal announcement no progress has been made and European markets for automotive and industrial chips have been weak with signs of overhanging inventories
At the same time GlobalFoundries has been prioritizing investment in US and STMicroelectronics has been prioritizing overseas sales with such things as its China-for-China strategy
ST tips Hua Hong deal to support ‘China-for-China’ strategy
ST also flagged in recent financial results that it expected a weak start to 2025 in terms of its sales and a planned corporate “resizing” program that is being drawn up with the goal of saving the company close to US$1 billion per year in operating costs by 2027
GlobalFoundries was reportedly the lead investor in the joint venture with 58 percent and ST holding 42 percent
The French government was prepared to provide €2.9 billion
The GF-ST plan seems to have joined another that has been shelved – that of Intel for two wafer fabs in Magdeburg
Both appear to have suffered from the fact that there is insufficient electronics manufacturing in Europe to create demand for major fab building projects
www.globalfoundries.com
GloFo plans to create advanced packaging center in New York
ST tips restructuring program and a weak start to 2025
GloFo, ST finalize terms for €7.5 billion wafer fab at Crolles
a global leader in feature-rich semiconductor manufacturing
today announced they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a new
jointly-operated 300mm semiconductor manufacturing facility adjacent to ST’s existing 300mm facility in Crolles
This facility is targeted to ramp at full capacity by 2026
with up to 620,000 300mm wafer per year production at full build-out (~42% ST and ~58% GF)
ST and GF are committed to building capacity for their European and global customer base
This new facility will support several technologies
This includes GF’s market leading FDX technology and ST’s comprehensive technology roadmap down to 18nm
which are expected to remain in high demand for Automotive
and Mobile applications for the next few decades.
FD-SOI technology has origins in the Grenoble (France) area
It has been part of ST technology and product roadmap in its Crolles facility since the early beginnings
and it was later enabled with differentiation and commercialized for manufacturing at GF’s Dresden facility
FD-SOI offers substantial benefits for designers and customers
including ultra-low power consumption as well as easier integration of additional features such as RF connectivity
ST and GF will receive significant financial support from the State of France for the new facility
This facility will strongly contribute to the objectives of the European Chips Act
including the goal of Europe reaching 20% of worldwide semiconductor production by 2030
multi-year investment in advanced semiconductor manufacturing in Europe
it will support the leadership and resilience of the European technology ecosystems
from R&D (with the recently announced cooperation on R&D among ST
CEA-Leti and Soitec) to large-volume manufacturing
and support European and global customers with additional capacity in complex
advanced technologies for key end-markets including automotive
The new manufacturing facility will be a substantial contributor to global digital and green transformations – delivering key enabling technologies and products
It will generate additional employment at the ST Crolles site (approximately 1,000 additional staff for the new manufacturing facility) and across its ecosystem of partners
ST and GF will leverage the economies of scale at the Crolles site as they accelerate semiconductor capacity the world needs with high capital efficiency.
“This new manufacturing facility will support our $20 billion+ revenue ambition
Working with GF will allow us to go faster
and reinforce the European FD-SOI ecosystem
We will have more capacity to support our European and global customers as they transition to digitalization and decarbonization” said Jean-Marc Chery
“ST is transforming its manufacturing base
We already have a unique position in our 300mm wafer fab in Crolles
France which will be further strengthened by today’s announcement
We continue to invest into our new 300mm wafer fab in Agrate (near Milan
ramping up in H1 2023 with an expected full saturation by end 2025
as well as in our vertically integrated silicon carbide and gallium nitride manufacturing.”
“Our customers are seeking broad access to 22FDX® capacity for auto and industrial applications. The new facility will include GF dedicated foundry capacity for our customers offering GF’s unique innovation and will be managed by GF personnel onsite
new manufacturing capacity expansion leverages ST’s Crolles existing facility infrastructure enabling GF to accelerate our growth while benefiting from economies of scale to deliver additional capacity in a highly capital efficient manner on our differentiated 22FDX platform
that has shipped more than one billion chips
we are expanding GF’s presence within Europe’s dynamic technology ecosystem and reinforcing our position as the leading semiconductor foundry in Europe,” said Dr
“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.”
Additional information for GF investors is available at investors.gf.com.
The project is subject to the execution of definitive agreements and various regulatory approvals
including from the European Commission’s DG Competition
and to the completion of the consultation with ST’s French Works Council.
Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
each as amended) that are based on management’s current views and assumptions
and are conditioned upon and also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
or events to differ materially from those anticipated by such statements
Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties
which may cause actual results and performance of our business to differ materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements
Certain forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology
such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “are expected to,” “should,” “would be,” “seeks” or “anticipates” or similar expressions or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology
Some of these risks are set forth and are discussed in more detail in “Item 3
Key Information — Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31
Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize
or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect
actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as anticipated
to update any industry information or forward-looking statements set forth in this release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Unfavorable changes in the above or other risks or uncertainties listed under “Item 3
Key Information — Risk Factors” from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings
could have a material adverse effect on our business and/or financial condition.
This news release may contain forward-looking statements
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements
These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof
GF undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect actual outcomes
INVESTOR RELATIONS: Céline Berthier Group VP, Investor Relations Tel: +41.22.929.58.12 [email protected]
MEDIA RELATIONS: Alexis Breton Corporate External Communications Tel: + 33.6.59.16.79.08 [email protected]
Laurie Kelly GlobalFoundries +1 518 265 4580 [email protected]
Join GF and help us shape what’s essential
GlobalFoundries (GF) is a leading manufacturer of essential semiconductors the world relies on to live, work and connect. We innovate and partner with customers to deliver more power-efficient, high-performance products for high-growth markets. With our global manufacturing footprint spanning the U.S., Europe, and Asia, we are a trusted and reliable source for customers around the world.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
, opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts.
, opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks.
© 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved
ST and GlobalFoundries are to build a 300mm fab at Crolles
The fab will support a range of technologies
There will be significant financial support from France for the project which is costing $5.7 billion
The fab is targeted to ramp to full capacity by 2026
The fab will contribute to the objectives of the European Chips Act
In will support the European Technology ecosystem from R&D (with the recently announced cooperation on R&D among ST
and support European and global customers with additional capacity in advanced technologies for key end-markets including automotive
We will have more capacity to support our European and global customers as they transition to digitalization and decarbonization” says ST CEO Jean-Marc Chery
“ST is transforming its manufacturing base
as well as in our vertically integrated silicon carbide and gallium nitride manufacturing.”
“Our customers are seeking broad access to 22FDX capacity for auto and industrial applications,” says GloFo CEO Dr Thomas Caulfield
“the new facility will include GF dedicated foundry capacity for our customers offering GF’s unique innovation and will be managed by GF personnel onsite
we are expanding GF’s presence within Europe’s dynamic technology ecosystem and reinforcing our position as the leading semiconductor foundry in Europe
Our global footprint enables GF to not only meet our customers capacity needs but also provides them supply chain security
creates the right economic model for GF’s investment.”
Tagged with: Globalfoundries Homepage Featured Articles STMicroelectronics
the chip shortage has hit STM32 stock especially hard
Honest small customers have been sidelined by large customers and price gougers
Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value"
Electronics Weekly is excited to launch it's own podcast
brought to you by our editor Caroline Hayes
You can hear interesting insights from a range of industry figures
Catch all the episodes »
Sign up for the Electronics Weekly newsletters: Mannerisms
Gadget Master and the Daily and Weekly roundups
Find out more »
Read our special supplement celebrating 60 years of Electronics Weekly and looking ahead to the future of the industry
Read the first ever Electronics Weekly online: 7th September 1960
We've scanned the very first edition so you can enjoy it
Read the very first edition »
Keep up with developments relating to space technology - satellite technology
View our busy aerospace section »
Keep up with developments relating to the Internet of Things (IoT) - Industrial IoT
View our popular Internet of Things section »
Keep up with developments relating to Power electronics - MOSFETs
View our busy Power section »
the semiconductor company controlled by Italy’s Ministry of Finance and the French public bank Bpifrance
signed a strategic agreement with Chinese firm Innoscience for the development and production of gallium nitride (GaN) technology—a high-performance semiconductor that operates with minimal heat generation
STMicroelectronics has long maintained a centre of excellence in power technologies in Catania
where a specialised research hub collaborates closely with the National Research Council of Italy
supported by around €30 million in public funding
The situation is compounded by challenges at STMicroelectronics’ facility in Agrate Brianza
which has become secondary to the French plant in Crolles
The move reflects strategic drift at STMicroelectronics
The STMicroelectronics-InnoScience deal could open the door to deeper technological entanglement with China
Francesco Corvaro spent last week in Washington engaging US Department of Energy officials on nuclear fission and fusion
Rome has sent two Canadair water‑bombers to assist Israel in battling forest fires
acting swiftly under the EU’s rescEU mechanism
Decode39 is a spin-off project stemming from Formiche
a leading geopolitical and analytical news outlet that has been informing Italian decision-makers since 2004
We provide authoritative content and geopolitical insights
taking advantage of Italy’s unique perspective as a global crossroads to reach English and Arab-speaking readers around the world
authoritative content and geopolitical insights from Italy to Arabic readers around the world
DECODE39 IN ARABIC>
GlobalFoundries and STMicroelectronics have announced the successful conclusion of their agreement to establish a jointly-operated
high-volume semiconductor manufacturing facility in Crolles
The agreement was initially announced on July 11
emphasized the significance of the partnership with ST in Crolles
as it expands GlobalFoundries' presence within Europe's semiconductor ecosystem
"Together we will deliver GF's market leading FDX technology and ST's comprehensive technology roadmap
in alignment with customer demand which is expected to remain high for Automotive
and Mobile applications over the next decades," said Caulfield
GF's proprietary FDX process technology platform is based on fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) technology
acknowledged the importance of the achievement for both ST and GlobalFoundries
He credited the French government and the European Commission for their support
Chery emphasized the goal of strengthening the European and French FD-SOI ecosystem and increasing capacity for European and global customers in advanced technologies for key markets such as automotive
These efforts align with the ongoing transition to digitalization and decarbonization
Chery also noted that the new manufacturing facility will contribute to their ambition of achieving over US$20 billion in revenue
The program is estimated to incur an overall cost of EUR7.5 billion
The new facility will receive EUR2.9 billion of support from the French government
This aid measure aligns with the objectives outlined in the European Chips Act and is part of the "France 2030" plan
which recently gained approval from the European Commission
The fab is to supply FDSOI circuits used for low power and wireless designs as well as some bulk CMOS
At full capacity in 2026 the plant will produce 620,000 wafers per year
58 percent for Globalfoundries and 42 percent for ST
The news that ST’s Crolles site in France will gain another 300mm wafer fab and a base for further FDSOI process development is a good thing for Europe
the companies concerned and their customers
the idea that it will help Europe get closer to producing 20 percent of the world’s chips by 2030 is far-fetched
But on the positive side it represents some realistic thinking by the politicians
and a willingness to execute by chip companies
that could help keep Europe in the deep tech game for another decade
The news of a wafer fab that can produce about 51,000 wafers per month at full capacity is illustrative of the power of political will and tax-payer subsidy
CEO of Globalfoundries confirmed that without French state support the investment would be “challenging.” I take this to be short-hand for “would not happen.”
That an alliance and subsidies are required to build a next fab at Crolles and to provide a base for the development of FDSOI (fully-depleted silicon on insulator) manufacturing process is no surprise
After all the original 300mm wafer fab at Crolles was developed 20 years ago by an alliance between ST
Philips (later NXP Semiconductor) and Motorola Semi (subsequently Freescale and then acquired by NXP Semiconductor)
No European company could afford to go it alone at the leading-edge then
Chipmaking costs at the leading-edge and close to it have been increasing exponentially since then
the CEOs of Globalfoundries and STMicroelectronics have not said much about the cost of their joint-venture wafer fab planned for Crolles or how much subsidy they will be getting from the French government under the European Chips Act
Speaking with the press on a conference call ST CEO Chery said the fab would be a multi-billion euro investment and that France’s promised support was “significant.” Meanwhile the French government reportedly disclosed that the joint investment would be worth about €5.7 billion (about US$5.8 billion) without saying how much money it would be putting up
If GF and ST have to find €4 billion between them then that would leave the French state providing €1.7 billion or about 30 percent of the cost
This would seem to represent a minimum level of subsidy in the modern era of wafer fab building
It is also positive that Crolles next 300mm wafer fab is aimed at application sectors for where there is European demand and world-leading capability: in automotive electronics
Crolles is set to be the second chip manufacturing site that is likely to benefit from the €43 billion European Chips Act
Intel is set to get about 40 percent subsidy support or about €6.8 billion (about US$6.9 billion) from the German government towards the €17 billion initial cost of building two side-by-side wafer fabs in Magdeburg
The higher level of subsidy could be due to the fact that Magdeburg will be a completely new semiconductor manufacturing lacking in infrastructure that needs to be developed
One thing we did find out from the conference call with GF and ST CEOs is that the fab ownership will not be 50:50 but in proportion to the ownership of equipment in fab and the output from the fab
The facility is expected to ramp quickly to full capacity by 2026 with a manufacturing capacity of up to 620,000 300mm-diameter wafers per year with ST taking about 42 percent of the wafers and GF taking about 58 percent of the wafers
GF CEO Caulfield said the ownership of fab was essentially in the equipment installed and that these were good figures of merit for that
We also found out that the fab will make multiple processes including 40nm bulk CMOS
Globalfoundries’ 22FDX process and that it would provide an environment for both companies to take FDSOI down to 18nm
The ramp to full production by 2026 is aggressive and implies a start to production in 2024 and indeed the start could not be much sooner than that
One concern is that some key pieces of 300mm chip production equipment are on 24-month delivery lead times while the chip making industry goes through a global spasm of capacity expansion planning
The supply of complete equipment chains could be a limiting factor in the roll out of the GF-ST fab but Caulfield did say that in some cases the companies have already put orders in with equipment companies
Both CEOs were keen to say that their fab would support the aims of the European Chips Act to get European chip production up to 20 percent of global production by 2030
According to market research firm IC Insights
Europe had 5.7 percent of the world’s installed wafer capacity as of December 2020
and given the lack of leading-edge production in Europe
by value Europe’s production could be considerably lower
It is obvious that if Europe wants to gain market share it needs to invest in chip production proportionately faster than other regions
But the investments now being made by Intel
GF and ST under the European Chips Act – while welcome and unusual in Europe – are relatively minor by global standards
Here we are cheering for the possibility of two or three production-scale digital wafer fabs getting built in Europe over the next several years while a single foundry company such as TSMC seems to throw 300mm fabs down each and every year
If the US government can fund its own Chips Act it will unlock large investments in the US by Intel
Taiwan and China continue to invest much larger sums
At the same time regions such as India are eager to join in with chip making
The balance of semiconductor payments is now seen by many countries and most
as key to both short and long-term economic well-being
The conclusion must be that Europe’s share of global chip production will
stop falling – but at least Europe has started to move after many years of taking the globalization dividend
And it must be acknowledged that the visionaries within the European Commission have managed to managed to get chip company support in a way that Commission vice president Neelie Kroes could not a decade before
With Intel eager to operate a foundry service at the leading-edge and GF and ST keen to operate in the More-than-Moore space
the European politicians have covered twin aspects of the need to keep up with global competition
And it should be recognized that many future technology developments such as silicon photonics
quantum computing and spintronics are built upon know-how and capability in semiconductor manufacturing
What we can say is that the European politicians
Globalfoundries and STMicroelectronics are helping to secure the chance of continued deep-tech capability in Europe for another few years.And further investment
And at some time before the end of this decade it will be time to go again
The price of deep-tech progress is consistent support and subsidy
www.globalfoundries.com; www.st.com
STMicroelectronics has built a digital twin of its fab in Crolles
The company is using its STM32 32bit microcontrollers with embedded AI to monitor fab equipment and automated transport systems
This is combined with multiple data sources in a digital twin that allows predictive maintenance and system optimisation
Group Vice President of the Group Vice President of Strategic Technology & System Architecture in the Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group (MDG) group at ST
He is also vice-president of the Minalogic Collaborative R&D Cluster in Grenoble
“Industry 4.0 applications are very diverse and require sophisticated CPS hardware and software
wireless and RTOS,” said Magarshack in a keynote on cyberphysical systems (CPS) at the DATE 2021 conference
“In smart factories all production steps are digitally mapped in a digital twin and connected
At ST we are not only designing products for Industry 4 .0 but using these techniques
Several hundreds of steps in a fab with multiple parameters so it is fundamental to collect and analyse in real time all these parameters.”
Running 6300 wafers per week the 300mm fab at Crolles generates 3TB of data per day
ST is using three AI techniques for monitoring wafers and equipment
Advanced defect classification (ADC) automatically classifies wafer defects with CNN neural network pattern matching so that corrective action in real time and defects are caught before other processes are added in
Instead of measuring a single temperature the complete curve is captured and compared against the golden curve
This allows real time modelling and decision making to optimise productivity
All the data is collected in a factory level digital twin as a system of systems
There are 600 process steps for every wafer with a cycle time 12 weeks
and 150 robot vehicles each travel 45km per day moving wafer lots between equipment with 60,000 transports per day. The twin is a 3D model of the equipment with traffic simulation and fab process optimisation tools
“Having a digital twin of a fab enables many optimisations and allows us to anticipate the performance of many combinations of process that would be impossible to carry out in real life,” said Magarshack
This also includes the high level models of the sensors and system-on-chip controllers
“CPS devices are at the heart of smart factories and the data generated for digital twins
and we extend SoC validation to factory level use cases and we use it in our own factories,” he said
“The SoC digital twin gives us capability to peek and poke inside a chip for testing unreachable areas and allows us to inject errors anywhere in the system to see what would happen
A wireless network co-simulation of the CPS using the actual embedded software and simulated RF link to test in a factory before they are deployed
These advanced high level models are instrumental in development and are useful even for products in the field.”
The company is developing a next generation of vibration sensor with its STM32WB controller with AI detection that it will install in fabs in the future with a smaller form factor
But it is not just the AI that is important but the data cleaning and semantics of test
“We are developing a roadmap with specific AI accelerators and these are based on our own architecture developed in internally in ST as we have low power and an understanding of the applications and these will come out in the next year to 18 months,” said Magarshack
“The emphasis is on detecting and understanding the weak signals. The image of the wafers and their classification is a confined set of problems. We started the journey a year or two ago of identifying single sources of data and we are 20 percent of the way to getting the full value from the data generated each day,” he said
“We probably have two or three more years to go to get the full benefit but the next big step will happen when we can combine the information form multiple sources
This is difficult as these have different semantics for defects and different causes of defects and so are not easily connected to each other
“The next challenge for the industry is to come up with a reference data model that can be applied across the board
For example in final test you have automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) with test vectors identifying a short between two lines of metals
but this does not align with the image based classification tool so we need to think about a body of defects and this should be recognised acrosss the various sources of test
“That’s one area for industrial attention,” he said
“80 percent of the work is in the data cleaning
20 percent on the algorithms and AI itself so the data cleaning needs attention and some of that is implementable and that’s an area of research I would recommend.”
STMicrolectronics is to build a second 300mm fab at its site in Crolles
this time in partnership with GlobalFoundries
The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create the new fab for fully depleted silicon on insulator (FD-SOI) which is used for low power and wireless designs
This technology is currently uses 22nm technology and so will not require leading edge manufacturing equipment which is in short supply
The fab will also produce parts on 40nm and 28nm bulk CMOS
aims to take advantage of support in the EU Chip Act for semiconductor manufacturing as well as French government support to boost local manufacturing
At full capacity in 2026 the plant will produce 620,000 wafers per year
“At full build out this will expand our capacity for more than 1m wafers per year across Crolles and Dresden,” said Thomas Caulfield
The two companies have already placed orders for equipment
which can have lead times of 12 to 24 months
There is also a European project to develop FD-SOI further to 10nm with ST
The current 300mm wafer fab at Crolles was developed 20 years ago under the Crolles 2 Alliance
The company has already built a digital twin of Crolles and is using that for interoperability to move production between fabs
ST has built another 300mm CMOS fab at Agrate in Italy for power and RF designs
which is was planning to share with Tower Semiconductor
www.st.com; www.globalfoundries.com
STMicroelectronics competitively plans to transition to 8-inch wafers starting from 2024
The company will integrate Soitec’s SmartSiC technology to enhance efficiency and reduce carbon emissions
STMicroelectronics aims to increase capacity
and collaborate with Chinese firm Sanan Optoelectronics to raise SiC chip-related revenue from the expected USD 1.2 billion in 2023 to USD 5 billion by 2030
STMicroelectronics and Sanan Optoelectronics announced a joint venture to establish a new 8-inch SiC device fab in Chongqing
with an anticipated total investment of USD 3.2 billion
To ensure the successful implementation of this extensive investment plan
Sanan Optoelectronics said to utilize its self-developed SiC substrate process to construct and operate a new 8-inch SiC substrate fab independently
TrendForce: over 90% SiC market share by major global players
the SiC industry is currently dominated by 6-inch substrates
while 8-inch substrates only account for 1%
Transitioning to larger 8-inch substrates is a key strategy for further reducing SiC device costs
8-inch SiC substrates offer significant cost advantages than 6-inch substrates
The industry’s major players in China
are advancing the development of 8-inch SiC substrates
This shift from the approximately 45% of total production costs associated with substrates is expected to facilitate the broader adoption of SiC devices and create a positive cycle for major companies
Not only Chinese companies but also international semiconductor giants like Infineon Technologies and Onsemi are actively vying for a share of the market
Infineon has already prepared the first batch of 8-inch wafer samples in its fab and plans to convert them into electronic samples soon
with mass production applications scheduled before 2030
International device companies like Onsemi and ROHM have also outlined development plans for 8-inch SiC wafers
major companies hold over 90% of the market share
A slowdown in progress could provide opportunities for followers
the market share of the top 5 SiC power semiconductor players in 2022 was dominated by STMicroelectronics (36.5%)
leaving the remaining companies with only 9.6%
Confirming an earlier report
Globalfoundries and STMicroelectronics intend to construct a jointly-operated fab in Europe
The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding to construct a 300mm facility in Crolles
to be used mostly for manufacturing FD-SOI ICs
GF will produce about 58 percent of the targeted maximum capacity of 620,000 wafers per year
ST will take ownership of the remaining 42 percent
This article is exclusively available to premium members of Bits&Chips
Become one for only €15 and enjoy all the benefits
Having trouble logging in? Please call us at 024 350 3532 (during office hours) or send an e-mail to info@techwatch.nl
Bits&Chips uses technologies such as functional and analytical cookies to improve the user experience of the website. By consenting to the use of these technologies, we may capture (personal) data, unique identifiers, device and browser data, IP addresses, location data and browsing behavior. Want to know more about how we use your data? Please read our privacy statement.
You don't have permission to access the page you requested.
What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed.
The new facility is said to support a "broad range of technologies" including GF’s FDX technology and ST’s technology roadmap down to 18nm for automotive
IoT and communications infrastructure applications
The facility is targeted to ramp at full capacity by 2026
with up to 620,000 300mm wafer per year production at full build-out (42% ST and 58% GF)
The companies state that the facility will generate additional employment at the ST Crolles site (approximately 1,000 additional staff for the new manufacturing facility) and across its ecosystem of partners
This new manufacturing facility will support our $20 billion+ revenue ambition
as well as in our vertically integrated silicon carbide and gallium nitride manufacturing
Our customers are seeking broad access to 22FDX capacity for auto and industrial applications
The new facility will include GF dedicated foundry capacity for our customers offering GF’s unique innovation and will be managed by GF personnel onsite
creates the right economic model for GF’s investment
ST and GF will receive "significant financial support" from the State of France for the new facility.
Nic Fleming is a science writer in Bristol
When President Emmanuel Macron unveiled his strategic plan for France’s electronics industry on 12 July last year
he did so not in front of any of the familiar Parisian landmarks
but at a factory in the shadow of the tooth-like Dent de Crolles mountain
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-00109-x
This article is part of Nature Spotlight on Science in France
Advertisers have no influence over the content
Lecouat, B., Ponce, J. & Mairal, J. Preprint at https://arxiv.org/abs/2104.06191 (2021)
Download references
Why the green-technology race might not save the planet
Six roadblocks to net zero — and how to get around them
AI race in 2025 is tighter than ever before
23andMe plans to sell its huge genetic database: could science benefit
How we call out the infuriating mistakes we spot in school science textbooks
My fight to unlock cannabis and psychedelic drugs for use in medical research
HT is an interdisciplinary research institute
created and supported by the Italian government
whose aim is to develop innovative strategies to pr..
UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution
with over 5,000 employees and 17,000 students split between its Dorigny campus
Department of Energy and Environmental Materials
and advance cancer research in a leading translational institute
Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute
We are seeking a tenure-track associate professor to promote interdisciplinary research in nanoprobe life sciences or related interdisciplinary field
Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science
Strike action has begun at ST following a decision by management not to give a rise to all employees
despite recording Q3 revenues 27.8% up on Q2 for a gross profit of $1 billion and a forecast of 12% sequential profit for Q4
CFDT and CGT) have called a strike at all ST sites from today
On the morning shift there were 60 strikers and on the mid-day shift about 150
CAD expects to see 200 on strike for the night-shift
ST management showed incredible contempt for ST employees and their work by not recognising the efforts made by employees by deciding not to increase them this year
‘management does not recognise at all the efforts requested and made by its employees during confinement.”
CAD goes on to say that ST management treats its workers as mougeons (a hybrid of sheep and pigeons) by getting them to pay for the costs of COVID
by the €16.9 million additional costs due to anti-COVID measures
including $6.4 million euros for COVID premiums and compensation in the factory,” says CAD
“it thus confirms the fears of the CAD to know that these bonuses distributed during confinement would be recovered from the wages of all employees
and in particular from the wages of other employees who do not work in the factory or who could no longer work there.”
“It is absolutely indecent that the management of ST also directly and openly funds the measures against COVID by the employees themselves,” concludes CAD
Meanwhile the CGT union points out that the 100 senior executives of ST in France receive on average € 200,000 per year with € 50,000 free shares
Tagged with: Homepage Featured Articles STMicroelectronics
Want to kill your business … allow the unions in
This kind of blatant disregard for employees is exactly the reason unions exist
Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information
Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information
Photographer: Jean-Philippe Ksiazek/POOL/AFP/Getty Images
as demand in the auto industry remains strong
The Franco-Italian chipmaker posted net revenue of $4.4 billion for the fourth quarter
in line with an estimate from analysts surveyed by Bloomberg
The custom 18K resolution image sensor custom was developed by ST for Big Sky for the world’s most advanced camera system and is used to capture ultra-high-resolution content for Sphere in Las Vegas
the Big Sky camera system (below) was designed by the team at Sphere Studios
The 18K sensor capable of capturing images at the scale and fidelity necessary for Sphere’s display and is the world’s largest cinema camera sensor in commercial use
is almost 7x larger and 40x higher resolution than the full-frame sensors found in high-end commercial cameras
which measures 9.92cm x 8.31cm (82.4 cm2) and only four full die fit on a 300mm wafer (shown above)
The system is also capable of capturing images at 120 fps and transferring data at 60 gigabytes per second
Big Sky also allows filmmakers to capture large-format images from a single camera without having to stitch content together from multiple cameras
This avoids issues common to stitching including near distance limitations and seams between images
Ten patents and counting have been filed by Sphere Studios in association with the Big Sky technology
“ST has been on the cutting edge of imaging technology
and tools to create unique solutions with advanced features and performance for almost 25 years,” said Alexandre Balmefrezol
Executive Vice President and Imaging Sub-Group General Manager
and seemingly impossible yield requirements
presented a truly novel challenge for ST – one that we successfully met from the very first wafer out of our 12” (300mm) wafer fab in Crolles
The Big Sky camera developed by Sphere Studios
“Big Sky significantly advances cinematic camera technology
with each element representing a leap in design and manufacturing innovation,” said Deanan DaSilva
lead architect of Big Sky at Sphere Studios
“The sensor on any camera is critical to image quality
but given the size and resolution of Sphere’s display
Big Sky’s sensor had to go beyond any existing capability
leveraged their extensive expertise to manufacture a groundbreaking sensor that not only expands the possibilities for immersive content at Sphere
but also across the entertainment industry.”
thesphere.com; www.st.com
Infineon and Marelli enter new era of automotive cockpit design with MEMS laser beam scanning at 2025 Auto Shanghai
Trump’s Trade Bombshell: Tariffs on China Hit 245%
India Aims to Capture 10% of Global Chip Demand by 2030
Cost of Semiconductor Chips per Vehicle to Double by 2030: NITI Aayog
Infineon expands its GaN power portfolio with EasyPACK CoolGaN power modules for high-voltage applications
Rohde & Schwarz pioneers the future of automotive Ethernet using Analog Devices’ 10BASE-T1S solutions
Keysight Awarded NATO FORACS Contract to Enhance Operational Readiness
Power and Thermal Management Concerns in AI: Challenges and Solutions
Vishay Intertechnology 1 Form A Solid-State Relays Offer Continuous Load Current to 5 A in Compact SOP-4 Package
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing and characterization at PCIM Expo 2025
Vishay Intertechnology Thick Film Power Resistor With Optional NTC Thermistor and PC-TIM Simplifies Designs and Saves Board Space
Security by Design in Electronics: A Proactive Approach to Cybersecurity
Keysight Introduces Comprehensive LPDDR6 Solution for End-to-End Memory Design and Test Workflows
System-level considerations for EVSE design
Keysight Introduces System Designer for PCIe and Chiplet PHY Designer for Digital Standards-Driven Simulation Workflows
TI pioneers new magnetic packaging technology for power modules, cutting power solution size in half
The 3D Printing Industry in India: Growth, Opportunities, and Challenges
Top 10 3D Printing Companies in India
Optimize MES intelligence in semiconductor advanced packaging
Amtech Shares Key Trends Shaping the Future of Electronics Manufacturing in 2025
Exporting Power: India’s Growing Influence In Global Transformer Supply Chains
Engineering the Future of Compact Audio: A Deep Dive into the NAU82110YG Filter-Free Class-D Amplifier
Unlocking the Potential of 6G FR3
ST’s Automotive MCU technology for next-generation vehicles
Steel Soldering: Definition, Process, Working, Uses & Advantages
Understanding Metal Soldering: Definition, Process, Working, Uses & Advantages
Stealth Technology: Definition, Types, Working & Applications
Top 10 eSIM Manufacturers in India
Powering a Sustainable Future: How STMicroelectronics is Leading by Design
Rewiring the Future of India’s Power Grid with Wirepas
Pushing the Boundaries of Miniaturization with Texas Instruments’ New MCU
Delta Electronics Fuels India’s Digital Ambitions with Scalable, Sustainable ICT Solutions
STMicro’s manufacturing strategy is a study on a long-range plan to use the resources of the manufacturing system to support the business strategy and in turn meet the business objectives
STMicroelectronics is an independent integrated device manufacturer with in-house manufacturing complemented by outsourcing partners
ST’s manufacturing strategy is a key enabler for future growth and in the last two years the company has accelerated capacity investments to cope with the unprecedented semiconductor demand growth
ST’s manufacturing footprint is being transformed with strategic investments in 300mm wafer manufacturing and growing wide bandgap technologies
The vertical integration of SiC will increase company’s value creation
The company already has a unique position in 300mm as a high-volume manufacturer with digital technologies
including embedded non-volatile memory ranging from 90nm down to 28nm serving the bulk of technology requested by the industrial and automotive market
This makes ST’s manufacturing footprint unique among the peers
technology and manufacturing are also instrumental to ST competitiveness and customer service capabilities
a huge variety of packages and complement internal production and technology offer with selected collaboration with subcontractors
STMicroelectronics gives an overview of ST’s manufacturing strategy
The excerpts of the interview are given below:
Introduction to Semiconductor Manufacturing:
Chip manufacturing is the process of creating individual packaged and tested integrated circuits (IC) from a semiconductor wafer
Semiconductor manufacturing process is quite complicated
Some of the mind-boggling facts are really astonishing to a lay man given below:
It requires 7 seconds to renew all the air in a fab cleanroom – typically bigger than a football stadium
It requires 1,000 times fewer airborne particles in a fab cleanroom than in a hospital operating room
The advanced transistors are 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair
we can make almost 5,000 pieces of 8-inch wafer
40 km Distance covered by a wafer in the fab during processing
There are more than 100,000,000 transistors per square mm in the most advanced chips and more than 1,000,000,000,000 semiconductor chips made worldwide per year
Exploring the limits: Semiconductor size – or node size – is indicated in nanometer
a unit that equals one billionth of a meter (or 0.000000001m)
Semiconductor chips in terms of size are even smaller than the cat flea
Chips with 14 and 10 nanometers are currently in mass production
but the industry continues to aim for smaller node sizes i.e
The manufacturing cycle time involves hundreds of steps and can take up to four months from design to mass production
Time is required to make a wafer involves electrical wafer sorting
Normally it takes 20 to even thirty 30 weeks
That is why ST asks its customers to plan their semiconductor requirements well in advance as to how many chips and what kind of chips they need
Overview of manufacturing at ST: ST is an integrated device manufacturer
foundry and back end (packaging & testing)
ST has a lot of manufacturing facilities across the world
For front end foundry the major locations are Sweden
Packaging and testing facilities are in Italy
ST has factories covering the front end and back end across many countries
ST people strength: ST has a global presence
It has around 50,000 employees spread across the world
ST offers its customers multiple sources and integrated supply chain control
ST has different manufacturing locations – focusing on different technologies and products
ST has the capability to shift the production workload across different locations not to be impacted by a single location for whatever reason
ST’s technologies enable product differentiation and customer success
and most of the technologies are proprietary ones
ST has smart power technologies covering BCD
Under MEMS technologies ST has analog mixed-signal technologies
Under flash technology ST has a lot of special technologies focusing on embedded flash
For packaging technologies ST is quite nimble and resilient in providing the best combinations of lead frame
ST’s technology R&D is integrated with fabs: ST’s factory has technology R&D integrated into it
The company has facilities for design close to the manufacturing unit
Factory/fab has human resources focusing on R&D and design to provide continuous innovation of the technologies
ST also focuses on the innovations in assembly and testing
the subcontractors for packaging and testing to continuously innovate with the latest technology to serve end markets such as smart mobility
ST’s technology R&D and manufacturing strategy is the key enablers of business: ST is investing in competitive proprietary technologies and in-house manufacturing complemented by outsourcing
creating a reliable supply chain for its customers
ST has plans to double the internal manufacturing capacity for the 300 millimeter
ST is Focusing on investing in Silicon Carbide
and GaN and building internal technology capacity to offer 200 millimeter
and plan to achieve the internal production of the 8 inch in 2023
ST is working with outsourcing partners to have Support from foundries & OSATs on capacity growth
Strategic manufacturing programs: For 300 mm capacity expansion ST has manufacturing units at Crolles
For Wide bandgap capacity expansion ST has Catania unit on SiC technologies and Tours unit
ST partners with GlobalFoundries for Sustainable manufacturing: ST and GlobalFoundries have set up a new manufacturing facility in France
It is ISO certified for environmental and energy management
It is the world’s cleanest fab in the semiconductor industry
Integrated SiC substrate manufacturing facility: ST has planned to integrate the SiC substrate into the entire manufacturing strategy for SiC devices and technologies
ST acquired Norstel in 2019 to expand the capacity
including moving production from Norrköping in Sweden to Catania in Italy
It will be a first of a kind in Europe for the production in volume of 150 millimeter SiC epitaxial substrate which is 6 inch epi
integrating all steps in the production flow
and this is the site to develop the 8 inch wafer in the near future
The production is expected to start in 2023
Catania is an important site for ST power innovation: ST is leading in SiC R&D with a large portfolio of key patents
It is the home to the largest SiC R&D and manufacturing operations
It has an established eco-system on power electronics with long-term
successful collaboration between ST and different stakeholders
ST will increase from 17% of our total production mix with 12 inch capacity to 33% in 2025
And the main sites for 12 inch are Crolles in France and Agrate in Italy
it’s progressing smoothly to ramp up in 2023
Most of the production qualification has been planned to be completed by the first half of this year
Fast ramp thanks to capacity sharing with Tower Semiconductor
The first wafer production lot has been successfully released in October
ST is accelerating the expansion of SiC device manufacturing capacity
More than 100 million devices shipped to automotive customers
ST has expanded it more than 2.5 X by the year 2022
Catania and Singapore are the main sites for SiC manufacturing and for assembly and testing of SiC Shenzhen and Bouskoura are the sites
ST has acquired Norstel hence plans to have more than 40% internal supply of substrate by 2024
ST is focusing a lot on GaN technology because it’s a huge complementary technology to SiC to cover the customer demand for power devices
ST has power conversion GaN and the RF-power GaN
and has 200 mm power GaNfab in Tours with fab qualification in 2022
ST has 6 inch RF-GaN in Catania and has fab qualification available in 2022
Strategic manufacturing outsourcing: ST is working with outsourcing partners for strategic manufacturing
ST is leveraging 80% from internal source for fab capacity and working with partners for 20% of external source
ST provides 65% of the internal capacity while sourcing from partners OSAT provides 35% of the capacity
Agrate: The Agrate Brianza is one of ST’s main front-end fabs as well as R&D center for Smart Power and MEMS technologies
In addition to the long-running 200 mm fab
ST is building out a state-of-the-art 300 mm fab which will be qualified for production in the first half of 2023
Main technologies: BCD including Advanced BCD with PCM and galvanic isolation MEMS sensors & actuator (ThELMA
Bouskoura: Bouskoura represents one of the most advanced chip packing and testing facilities in the world
It supplies products to industries with the highest quality requirements such as automotive
Calamba: Calamba plant is a sophisticated IC and module back-end manufacturing facility
which assembles and tests a diverse range of products
The site plays an important role in advancing new packaging technologies
multi-stack and multi-IO assembly and higher-value module solutions
Catania: Catania hosts front-end manufacturing
addressing power and smart power applications for automotive
It also produces analog ICs and ASSP for a broad range of applications
R&D and production activities for the development and manufacturing of ICs in digital technologies on 200 mm and 300 mm silicon wafers
and other advanced devices based on differentiated CMOS technologies
Kirkop: Kirkop plant is the largest back-end site in Europe
It is a world-class assembly and testing plant for a wide range of products serving automotive and personal electronics customers
Marcianise: Marcianise site supports the deployment of secure microcontrollers
The site has fully featured smartcard manufacturing lines
and the capability to personalize secure ICs through dedicated SW development and services
Secure software and personalization services
Muar: Muar is an advanced back-end manufacturing facility specializing in high-complexity and high-reliability packages
A major portion of the production volume is dedicated to automotive products and the site is a leader in automotive product engineering and test development
Norrköpping: Norrköpping is a center of excellence for Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrate technology and manufacturing
It is the pilot line for the manufacturing of conductive and semi-insulating SiC substrates and epitaxial layers
Rennes: ST serves the complete needs of space and aerospace customers for plastic rad-hardened devices and for ceramic and metallic hermetic packages
Rousset: Rousset is a fully integrated facility that includes manufacturing
The site includes a 200 mm wafer manufacturing plant for standard and secure microcontrollers
and an electrical test center for 200 mm and 300 mm wafers from various ST manufacturing plants and subcontractors
Shenzhen: Shenzhen plant packages and tests a broad range of semiconductor components including power transistors
Singapore: Singapore is one of our largest front-end manufacturing facilities serving a broad range of applications
They also house the largest electrical wafer sorting (EWS) operations as well as packaging research and development activities
This new R&D line looks to advance Piezoelectric MEMS technologies to boost innovation and accelerate development of new materials
Tours: Tours designs and manufactures components on silicon and glass substrates
targeting a wide variety of electronic applications
ST is focusing on sustainability to reach carbon neutrality by 2027 on the company level
ST creates technology for a sustainable world by prioritizing people thus protecting the planet thus generating long-term value for all stakeholders
ST has achieved quite a lot of results in terms of water consumption
electricity consumption and water recycled rate
ST’s EHS team focusing on manufacturing sites energy management from health safety
All the sites worked on 53 energy management improvement projects
ST is trying to reduce carbon footprint in Singapore
ST adopted a district cooling system at ST’s single largest wafer-fabrication site by volume globally
It eliminated up to 120,000 tons of carbon from the environment
which is equivalent to 30% of ST Singapore’s carbon emissions in 2021
Water Management: Manufacturing sites produce ultra-clean water and continuously improve wastewater treatments and water discharge quality in order to reduce carbon footprint of all these sites
ST targets to work with customers and partners to strive for zero waste while promoting a circular economy
ST is investing in the areas of digital transformation and Industry 4.0
ST is leveraging digital technologies to reduce waste
to strengthen supply chain and product life cycle management
ST connects and digitalizes products related to information and processes for a more efficient and effective innovation engine
It leverages the digital technologies to analyze manufacturing data
to industrialize ST’s manufacturing data and analytics capabilities
automated processes 95% of the dispatching is automated
ST is digitalizing the semiconductor factory floor: Industrializing manufacturing data & analytics capabilities
contributing to improving manufacturing quality
ST uses the latest Industry 4.0 Technologies such as mixed reality for remote maintenance autonomous intelligent vehicles to enhance the automation of the entire factory
ST is leveraging digital twins technologies
especially for the 300 mm fabs at Crolles and Agrate
The Importance of Embracing Technology in Manufacturing
In response to a question with ELE Times as ‘What is the importance of embracing technology in manufacturing for ST
How has the use of technology changed over the years for semiconductor players
“Technology is evolving at an astonishing pace
changing the way we live and the way we do business
need to prioritize technology in order to effectively compete
resulting in lower production costs and increased profitability
semiconductor players rely heavily on advanced manufacturing technologies such as lithography
and plasma etching to create ever-smaller and more complex devices
Advancements in technology are enabling manufacturers to streamline production processes
reduce costs and deliver higher quality products to meet customer demand
Because of its versatility and ease of use
there are a number of areas within manufacturing where technology is being harnessed by ST
we are able to save money and improve our value proposition to customers and potential customers
differentiating the unique products we offer in the market
ST has been incorporating such technologies for years
mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities
We also use data analytics and artificial intelligence to monitor and optimize the production processes
ensuring that they are operating at peak efficiency and quality
more efficient power and energy management
and the wide-scale deployment of the Internet of Things and connectivity
IoT sensors can be used to monitor equipment and machines
and alert operators to any issues that arise
This technology is an example of what we at ST have embraced and are perfecting for manufacturing”
ELE Times provides a comprehensive global coverage of Electronics
In addition to providing in depth articles
With its 1.5kg/1.5 liters/15Watts challenging SWaP-C constraints, it is suited for air and terrestrial harsh environments missions. It offers dual and quad-core System-on-Chip (SoC) for performance and quad-core E39x0 Apollo Lake for lower power requirements
The ONYX products read-copy-update (RCU) family has shrunk in the past seven years in terms of SWaP constraints
to 1.5kg/1.5 liters/15Watts announced with ECRIN's latest nano-ONYX UAV targeting RCU
Nano-ONYX was specially made for rotary wings and fixed wings aircraft, UAVs
It is also suitable for other extreme environments like ground vehicles
The Nano-ONYX will be demonstrated for the first time at PARIS Air Show in June 2019
Search the Intelligent Aerospace Buyer's Guide for companies
STMicroelectronics is working with the French universities to create a high-reliability semiconductor research laboratory
The Radiation Effects and Electrical Reliability (REER) Joint Laboratory is a multi-site research establishment that will bring together teams from the IM2NP Institute
and specialist engineers from the ST facility in Crolles
The REER Joint Laboratory’s research will focus on two main areas of research: the effect of radiation on the 28nm technology node and beyond
in particular the FD-SOI (fully depleted silicon-on-insulator) industrial cluster developed by ST at its Crolles site
such as the space but also high growth sectors like automotive
the intrinsic constraints of electronic components (electrical fields
etc.) and some environmental constraints (especially particle radiation from natural or artificial sources) are becoming an increasingly critical issue for current and future generations of integrated circuits,” said the group
The lab will also be involved with collaborative programmes and projects at the national
in conjunction with the European CATRENE cluster
the ENIAC initiative and support programs led by the French General Directorate for Enterprises (DGE) and the French defense procurement agency (DGA)
Tagged with: FD-SOI France high reliability STMicroelectronics