The Week In Review: Manufacturing

To help fab tool vendors, Imec has formally launched what it calls a “suppliers hub.” This program aims to offer an open R&D platform, which enables chip suppliers and tool makers to collaborate more deeply and in an earlier stage in the process.

D2S has acquired the assets of Gauda, a developer of GPGPU-based computational lithography acceleration technology headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif. The acquisition, which includes all of Gauda’s patents related to GPGPU acceleration as well as software, will strengthen D2S’ capabilities in software for semiconductor manufacturing, including the increasingly critical area of wafer plane analysis. This evaluates how accurately complex shapes on advanced photomasks print as predicted on the wafer.

After missing major market opportunities in fast-growing smartphones and tablet computers, Intel continues to shake itself up in ways that would have been unthinkable several years ago, according to IC Insights.

Gov. Peter Shumlin is backing a proposal to freeze electricity rates for IBM in Vermont, according to a report from an online site. The goal is to save and keep IBM in Vermont. There are rumors that GlobalFoundries will buy IBM’s chip unit, a move that could dismantle IBM’s chip unit.

GlobalFoundries CEO Sanjay Jha met with U.S. President Barack Obama on May 20, 2014 in a roundtable discussion along with other business leaders who have chosen to invest and hire in the United States.

After two years of decline, fab equipment spending is expected to increase 24% in 2014, according to SEMI. In terms of equipment spending, 2015 may reach or even surpass historic record year 2011.

SEMI announced the appointment of Osamu Nakamura to the position of president of SEMI Japan effective July 1, 2014. Nakamura will succeed Yoichi Nakagawa, who is retiring from SEMI.

Broadcom is exploring strategic alternatives for its cellular baseband business, including a potential sale or wind-down.

Cohu has entered into a definitive agreement with Costar Technologies under which Costar will purchase substantially all the assets of Cohu’s Electronics Division. The purchase price is $9.5 million in cash plus up to $0.5 million in contingent consideration.

Proteus Digital Health raised $120 million from new investors through the company’s most recent round of funding.