GlobalFoundries, Qualcomm boost semiconductor supply to 2028
Following the recent passage of the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act last week, GlobalFoundries (GF) and Qualcomm Technologies have announced they are more than doubling their existing strategic global long-term semiconductor manufacturing agreement previously entered into by the respective subsidiaries of GF and Qualcomm. This announcement secures wafer supply and commitments to support U.S.-based manufacturing through capacity expansion at the advanced GF semiconductor manufacturing facility, in Malta, New York.
The announcement was made in Washington D.C. at a CEO Summit co- hosted by GF, Ford Motor Company, and Applied Materials underscores the importance of domestic manufacturing to national and economic security. The Summit included CEOs and senior leaders from across the semiconductor supply chain from tool and wafer manufacturers to key suppliers to end users of chips manufactured in the U.S.
GF has been manufacturing feature rich, high-performance chips globally for Qualcomm Technologies for many years. In 2021, Qualcomm Global Trading Pte. Ltd (QGT), a subsidiary of Qualcomm Technologies, was one of GF’s first customers to secure their supply with a long-term agreement covering multiple geographies and technologies. That agreement secured 22FDX capacity at the Dresden facility and will now include capacity at the recently announced GF facility in Crolles, France, making QGT an anchor customer in this leading European proprietary technology. QGT has also secured capacity in GF’s market leading 8SW RFSOI technologies for Sub 6-GHz 5G front-end modules (FEMs), which will be primarily manufactured in GF’s Singapore facilities, where site expansion plans are well underway with full ramp expected in early 2023.
Today’s announcement specifically extends QGT’s U.S. based collaboration with GF in FinFET for 5G transceivers, Wi-Fi, automotive and IoT connectivity. GF’s FinFET platforms provide a best-in-class combination of performance, power and area that are well-suited for high-end mobile, automotive and IoT applications.
“Just days after we passed my historic, bipartisan CHIPS and Science bill, we can already see the semiconductor industry reinvesting in the United States. This deal to 2028 proves what we have always known – that the industry will grow here when we are competitive with Asia and Europe. With major new federal incentives for microchip manufacturing in the U.S., I look forward to many more announcements like this to come,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
”With accelerating demand for 5G, automotive and IoT applications, a robust supply chain is critical for ensuring innovation in these areas remains uninterrupted,” said Dr. Roawen Chen, Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain and Operations Officer, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Our continued collaboration with GF helps us to expand the next generation of wireless innovation as we move toward a world where everyone and everything can be intelligently connected.”
“GF’s global manufacturing footprint enables us to partner with our customers to meet their capacity needs, where they need it,” said Dr. Thomas Caulfield, president and CEO of GF. “Our collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies delivers differentiation and innovation in mobile and IoT spanning three continents, and this long-term agreement extension provides Qualcomm Technologies with additional U.S. based manufacturing for a more resilient supply chain.”
The global demand for semiconductors is growing at an unprecedented rate, and GF is responding to this growth through a series of strategic long-term agreements with existing and new customers and simultaneously expanding global capacity to meet customer demand in partnership with federal and local governments. Today’s announcement with Qualcomm Technologies is an important step consistent with this collaborative model.