Tokyo, Japan and Landshut, Germany: Renesas Technology plans to sell its production facility in Germany—Renesas Semiconductor Europe (Landshut) GmbH (RSEL)—to Silicon Foundry Holding (SFH), a newly established German-based company specialising in semiconductor foundry services.
RSEL, based in Landshut, Germany, for 28 years, has evolved to produce secure microcontroller wafers for smart-card applications with 0.35µm and 0.18µm processes. The sale of RSEL is prompted by the increased demand for smaller microchips, which Renesas says can’t be produced in sufficient quantities at its RSEL facility. The company says the sale is part of a global plan to optimise its production while reducing operating cost.
Two RSEL managers with experience in providing semiconductor foundry services for the European market formed the new SFH foundry. "Having evaluated all possible options for the future of RSEL in detail, the business plan of SFH, focusing on analog mixed-signal production to support local markets including lower volumes, will be a positive solution to continue RSEL’s business operations," explains Satoru Ito, chairman and CEO of Renesas Technology Corp.