News Main v Final DR 18/12/08 14:12 Page 9
NEWS DESK
9
European jobs at risk says SEMI
SEMI Europe has warned that the decline exposing Europe’s position further.
in the European semiconductor industry The decline of market share despite the
could be putting as many as half a million continuous increase in total volumes sold
European jobs at risk. During the 3rd is also a reflection of the role played of
SEMI Brussels forum, the organisation manufacturing which is differentiating
presented to EU officials its SEMI white and moving away from Europe due
paper which urgently calls on EU and largely to unfavourable global level
national policy makers to invest to playing field conditions. The European
support the European semiconductor equipment and materials manufacturers
industry given the primary importance of that supply the semiconductor industry
the industry to the health and global with machinery and parts are mostly
competitiveness of the EU economy. small and medium sized indigenous
Both the equipment/materials European businesses that rely on a future
producers and the semiconductor device European semiconductor industry to
manufacturers together today contribute guarantee their own future and that of the
some €29bn directly to the EU economy 105,000 European jobs they represent.
and provide around 215,000 direct jobs, innovation made in these key sectors of ‘If semiconductor manufacturers leave
which rises to halve a million jobs when the European economy. Europe, indigenous producers will face an
indirect jobs are counted. The European However this industry at the very uncertain future’, said Franz Richter,
semiconductor industry value chain source of European innovation and chairman of the SEMI European advisory
provides a significant contribution to the competitiveness is putting Europe in front board. ‘The current economic crisis and
GDP of 11 EU countries, most of a perilous future. The European share rising unemployment underscore the
particularly Austria, Belgium, France, of the global semiconductor market has urgent need to safeguard jobs in the
Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, declined, from 21% in 2001 to just 16% European semiconductor industry.’
and the United Kingdom. However the in 2007 , representing a drop of almost a The forum showed that there are
importance of this value chain to EU quarter. European semiconductor indeed ways out and opportunities ahead
growth and competitiveness goes well manufacturing has also been contracting which Europe can and must drive to stay
beyond the confines of the industry itself. again by almost 25% in just two years in the game, and these require leadership
European companies remain innovative from 2005 to 2007. To make matters and co-ordination in terms of devising
and competitive in globalised markets. worse, on 19 November the SIA in the sector specific industrial innovation policy
One estimate puts the semiconductor US further predicted a slump in solutions at both EU and EU member
industry at the origin of 90% of worldwide sales for 2009 which also risk state level.
Fairchild to
Intel’s 32nm process development
reduce
phase complete
workforce
INTEL CORPORATION has completed the The Intel 32nm paper and presentation
development phase of its next generation describe a logic technology that
manufacturing process that further incorporates second generation high-k +
FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR has shrinks chip circuitry to 32 nanometres. metal gate technology, 193nm immersion
announced that the current financial The company is on track for production lithography for critical patterning layers
crisis has initiated action to prevent readiness in the fourth quarter of 2009. and enhanced transistor strain techniques.
more problems with a negative future Intel will provide technical details These features enhance the performance
being widely predicted. The company around the 32nm process technology and energy efficiency of Intel processors.
has said it will cut its worldwide during presentations at the International Intel’s manufacturing process has the
workforce by 12 percent, or about Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM). highest transistor performance and the
1100 jobs. Finishing the development phase for the highest transistor density of any reported
These job cuts will incur a one-time company’s 32nm process technology and 32nm technology in the industry.
cash charge of $12 million to $16 production readiness in this time frame ‘Our manufacturing prowess and
million which the company expects to means that Intel remains on pace with its resulting products have helped us widen
soak up during the current quarter and ambitious product and manufacturing our lead in computing performance and
the first quarter of 2009. The cadence referred to as the company’s battery life for Intel based laptops,
aggressive action by the company will ‘tick-tock’ strategy. servers and desktops,’ said Mark Bohr,
would reduce wage costs by around That plan revolves around introducing Intel Senior Fellow and director of
$33 million a year. The financial an new processor microarchitecture process architecture and integration. ‘As
community responded favourably to alternating with a cutting edge we’ve shown this year, the manufacturing
the cuts with shares of the company up manufacturing process about every 12 strategy and execution have also given us
15 cents at $3.79 hours after the months. Producing 32nm chips next year the ability to create entirely new product
announcement. would mark the fourth consecutive year lines for MIDs, CE equipment, embedded
Intel has met its goal. computers and netbooks.’
December 2008 / January 2009 www.euroasiasemiconductor.com
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