Circuit maker GlobalFoundries separated from AMD in March 2009 and is currently the world’s third largest independent semiconductor manufacturer. The company is working on the new SOI 32nm technology that will be used with AMD’s Bulldozer architecture and according to the company this is going according to plans, while a large expansion is coming this year.
GlobalFoundries denied any rumors of problems with the 32-nanometer process that through efficient SOI (Silicon On Insulator) technology is a key component of AMD’s new Bulldozer architecture. GlobalFoundries has promised that it hasn’t made any changes to its 32nm planning and that it intends to supply AMD customers with 32nm circuits in H1 2011. Enforced by Jon Peddie, chief analyst at Jon Peddie Research.
GlobalFoundries has revealed that it has more grand plas for 2011 where it will invest 5.4 billion dollar in expanding one of its current fabs, while it has also started building a new fab in New York. The large investment can be compared to the 2.7 billion dollar that was invested in 2010.
Preparations for 28nm and 22nm nodes
GlobalFoundries estimates that it will cost 4 billion dollar to just build a new fab, but the goal is catch up to and surpass TSMC that is currently the largest of the independent semiconductor manufacturers. The largest fab – or foundry if you want – is Fab 1 found in Dresden, Germany, and here GlobalFoundries will upgrade its technology to increase capacity at 32nm and 28nm. The foundry will get ab additional manufacturing facility that will increase the number of wafers to 80,000 per months over the coming two years.
GlobalFoundries headquarter in Abu Dhabi – HQ Building
With the Abu Dhabi-based investment company Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC) backing it GlobalFoundries also sees a future foundry in Abi Dhabi, but there are details on this illusive fab at the moment.
We look forward to a new strong player among semiconductor manufacturers and hopes that AMD gets its first 32nm circuits out on time, since it hasn’t had much luck with changing nodes lately.
Source: Bloomberg
