X-Fab mimicked by parallel website – updated
Specialty foundry X-Fab Silicon Foundries SE (Tessenderlo, Belgium) appears to have been the victim of an operation that has produced a media facade, including a website, LinkedIn and Youtube channels, and press releases, based on X-Fab information.
The profile goes by the name BintangChip.
Much of the website layout and links have been the same as those of X-Fab but with the name BintangChip inserted to replace the X-Fab name. The website claims that X-Fab CEO Rudi de Winter is the CEO of BintangChip Group.
A spokesperson for X-Fab said in email correspondence with eeNews Europe: “The shadow or fake web presence by BintangChip has been set-up without our knowledge. There is no connection whatsoever between X-Fab and this company – which, as far as we know, does not even exist.” The spokesperson added that X-Fab’s IT security team has been working to identify the creator of the website and has taken several steps to try and shut the site down. “We are also considering taking legal steps,” the spokesperson added.
One point of difference between BintangChip and X-Fab is that press release materials say that BintangChip was founded in January 2024. One point of similarity is that the BintangChip website claims the operation has wafer fabs in:
- Lubbock, Texas
- Corbeil-Essonnes, France
- Dresden, Erfurt and Itzehoe in Germany
- Kuching, Malaysia
These are the same locations as X-Fab’s fabs and X-Fab’s artwork is used by BintangChip for illustration. In pictures of some of the fab buildings the name BintangChip has been included on the facades in perspective to replace X-Fab signage.
Images of facility in Erfurt, Germany, as shown on X-Fab and BintangChip websites.
The press releases, which are datelined Indonesia, include links to X, LinkedIn and Youtube accounts for BintangChip.
Update
eeNews Europe has received a response to an email sent to info@bintangchip.com seeking an explanation.
The sender states that BintangChip has no connection with X-Fab and that website is being developed in preparation for a business selling clothes.
After this story first appeared the contents of the website have been changed and they no longer appear to make use of X-Fab information and materials. The website still claims that BintangChip has seven manufacturing fabs. It also now states the company is headquartered in UK and has nearly €978 million in turnover.
In Malay and Indonesian languages the word Bintang means star, asterisk or celebrity. Bintang is also an Indonesian brand of beer.
Related links and articles:
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