Tuesday, October 7th 2008

AMD and ATIC of Abu Dhabi to Create New Semiconductor Manufacturing Company

AMD and the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC) of Abu Dhabi today announced the creation of a U.S.-headquartered, leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing company to address growing demand for independent, leading-edge foundry production capabilities. The new global company, to be temporarily called "The Foundry Company", will serve this need by combining advanced process technology, industry-leading manufacturing facilities and aggressive plans to expand its global capacity footprint. At the same time, the Mubadala Development Company will increase its current investment in AMD to 19.3 percent on a fully diluted basis. AMD will contribute to The Foundry Company its manufacturing facilities, including two fabrication facilities in Dresden, Germany, as well as related assets and intellectual property rights.

ATIC will invest $2.1 billion to purchase its stake in The Foundry Company, of which it will invest $1.4 billion directly in the new entity and the remainder will be paid to AMD to purchase additional shares in The Foundry Company. The Foundry Company will also assume approximately $1.2 billion of AMD's existing debt. ATIC has committed additional equity funding to The Foundry Company of a minimum of $3.6 billion and up to $6.0 billion over the next five years to fund the expansion of The Foundry Company's chip-making capacity beyond the manufacturing facilities initially contributed by AMD. These funds will be used by The Foundry Company to (i) proceed with capacity expansion at its fabs in Dresden, Germany, including an upgrade of one of its fabs to a state-of-the-art facility, and (ii) begin construction on a new state-of-the-art facility in Saratoga County, New York, subject to the transfer of previously-approved New York State incentives. The New York facility is expected to create more than 1,400 direct jobs, and, through its operation, to generate an additional 5,000 jobs in the region. Once operational, the New York facility will be the only independently-managed, leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing foundry in the United States.

Global demand for independent foundry manufacturing is growing because leading semiconductor companies are exiting manufacturing, as the cost and complexity increases and capital and research and development costs have become too high. In addition, the world's requirements for devices that use more advanced semiconductors continue to grow, and the IBM technology alliance, to which The Foundry Company will belong, creates an increasingly larger foundation for semiconductor innovation.

The Board of Directors of The Foundry Company will be equally divided between representatives of AMD and ATIC. AMD will own 44.4 percent and ATIC will own 55.6 percent of The Foundry Company's fully-converted common stock upon its formation.

Doug Grose will relinquish his current role as AMD's senior vice president of manufacturing operations to become chief executive officer of The Foundry Company. Hector Ruiz will relinquish his current role as AMD's executive chairman and chairman of the board to become chairman of The Foundry Company. To augment its announced leadership, the new company plans an aggressive recruitment strategy to round out a world-class semiconductor manufacturing leadership team.

ATIC is an investment company formed by the government of Abu Dhabi to invest in advanced technology opportunities that require patient capital and long-term time horizons to achieve economic returns while also increasing the economic diversification of Abu Dhabi. While it enhances its capabilities specific to the transaction, ATIC will enter into a 12-month agreement with Mubadala to project manage ATIC's interest in The Foundry Company.

As a result of the transactions, AMD will strengthen its financial position and focus on the design and development of innovative computing and graphics solutions. AMD will improve its liquidity through The Foundry Company's assumption of approximately $1.2 billion in debt, ATIC's $700 million payment to AMD for ownership interests in The Foundry Company and Mubadala's $314 million paid to AMD for 58 million newly issued AMD shares and warrants for 30 million additional shares.

Mubadala, an existing 8.1 percent AMD shareholder, will increase its stake to 19.3 percent of outstanding AMD shares on a fully diluted basis. This will be accomplished through the purchase for $314 million of 58 million newly issued AMD shares and warrants for 30 million additional shares. Mubadala will also have the right to appoint a designee to AMD's board of directors.

"Today is a landmark day for AMD, creating a financially stronger company with a tightened focus," said Dirk Meyer, president and chief executive officer of AMD. "With The Foundry Company, AMD has developed an innovative way to focus our efforts on design while maintaining access to the leading-edge manufacturing technologies that our business needs without the required capital-intensive investments of semiconductor manufacturing. I particularly want to congratulate our Chairman Hector Ruiz, whose vision and leadership of our Asset Smart strategy is fulfilled today."

"We are as enthusiastic about AMD's potential today as we were when we made our initial investment last year," said Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chief executive officer and managing director of Mubadala. "This increased investment is a strong vote of confidence in AMD's Asset Smart business strategy, evolved leadership team, and best-in-class technology."

"ATIC and AMD are the ideal partners with which to create The Foundry Company," said Hector Ruiz, chairman of AMD's board of directors, who will become chairman of The Foundry Company. "Working together allows us to combine ATIC's long-term vision and patient capital with our manufacturing leadership, innovation and highly-skilled workforce. Moreover, The Foundry Company's presence in Upstate New York alongside IBM and other research leaders will cement the region's position as one of the world's premier centers of nanotechnology development."

ATIC Chairman Waleed Al Mokarrab said, "More than a year in the making, today's announcement significantly reshapes the global semiconductor industry - it is an investment where all parties see significant opportunity. Independent and well-capitalized, The Foundry Company begins day one with an established leading-edge customer, an advanced technology roadmap, an R&D partnership with IBM, and a clear plan to scale capacity, providing it the foundation to become a clear leader in global semiconductor manufacturing."

"The creation of The Foundry Company represents a critical milestone in the evolution of the semiconductor industry," said Doug Grose, who will be the CEO of The Foundry Company. "Companies are eager for choice in the supply of leading-edge manufacturing capacity, and our new venture is answering that call. By combining operational excellence, leading-edge technology developed in collaboration with IBM, and an aggressive capacity roadmap, The Foundry Company aspires to drive the next round of innovation in this industry."

The Foundry Company will join the IBM joint development alliance for both silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and bulk silicon through the 22nm generation. The alliance consists of a group of leading semiconductor companies collaborating on next generation silicon technologies.

"We welcome The Foundry Company into the IBM alliance and are pleased to see the company investing in New York," said Dr. John E. Kelly III, senior vice president and director of Research at IBM. "The Foundry Company's membership in the alliance brings new intellectual capital to our collaborative effort and continues to build on the momentum and leadership that the alliance has established in semiconductor technologies."

Upon closing of the transaction, The Foundry Company will commence operations with approximately 3,000 employees who will transition into the new company from AMD facilities in Silicon Valley, New York, Dresden, and Austin. The new company's principal headquarters will be in Silicon Valley and its research and development and manufacturing leadership teams and ecosystems will be based in New York, Dresden, and Austin. After the upgrade and expansion in Dresden and the build-out of the New York facility, The Foundry Company envisions expanding its global manufacturing footprint over time, if commercially justified, to also include new fabrication facilities in Abu Dhabi.

The transaction is expected to close at the beginning of 2009 following satisfaction of conditions such as approvals from regulators, transfer of previously-confirmed New York incentives to The Foundry Company, and the approval of AMD stockholders for the issuance of common stock and warrants to Mubadala. Prior to closing, AMD, ATIC and Mubadala will file a joint voluntary notice of the transaction for review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a government inter-agency committee chaired by the Secretary of the Treasury.

Upon closing, The Foundry Company will:
  • Have a total enterprise value of $5.0 billion, consisting of AMD's contribution of manufacturing assets and intellectual property (including its fabrication facilities in Dresden), intellectual capital and employees valued together at $2.4 billion; ATIC's contribution of $1.4 billion in new capital; and $1.2 billion of debt assumed by The Foundry Company from AMD;
  • Be consolidated with AMD for purposes of financial reporting;
  • Have a board of directors whose membership is equally divided between representatives of AMD and ATIC;
  • Have only AMD and ATIC as stockholders, each of which at the closing will have equal voting rights;
  • Be owned 44.4 percent by AMD and 55.6 percent by ATIC on a fully converted to common basis. ATIC's economic ownership will increase over time based on the differences in securities held by AMD and ATIC, and depending on whether AMD elects to invest proportionately with ATIC in future capital infusions to support
  • The Foundry Company's growth;
    Have its principal headquarters in Silicon Valley, and its research and development and manufacturing leadership teams and ecosystems in New York, Dresden, and Austin;
  • Have an exclusive supply agreement with limited exceptions to manufacture AMD processors and to manufacture, where competitive, certain percentages of other AMD semiconductor products;
  • Begin construction of the Fab 4X manufacturing facility in New York in the middle of 2009, directly employing more than 1,400 workers in Upstate New York when the facility is in full operation;
  • Expect to increase capacity through completing the 300mm conversion of a second state-of-the-art facility in Dresden in 2009;
  • Join the IBM technology development alliance for both SOI and bulk silicon technology, greatly expanding the addressable market of The Foundry Company;
  • After the upgrade and expansion in Dresden and the build-out of the New York facility, The Foundry Company envisions expanding its global manufacturing footprint over time, if commercially justified, to also include new fabrication facilities in Abu Dhabi; and
  • Announce its permanent corporate name and identity.
Upon closing, AMD will:
  • Have equal voting rights with ATIC in The Foundry Company;
    Own 44.4 percent of The Foundry Company on a fully converted to common basis;
  • Improve its liquidity through The Foundry Company's assumption of approximately $1.2 billion of AMD's debt, ATIC's $700 million payment to AMD for ownership interests in The Foundry Company and Mubadala's purchase for $314 million of 58 million newly issued AMD shares and warrants for 30 million additional shares;
  • Tightly focus on the design and development of the next generation of innovation based on the fusion of computing and graphics processing;
  • Elect a Mubadala designee as a member of its board of directors;
  • Excluding its consolidation of The Foundry Company for financial reporting purposes, improve its net cash position by $2.1 billion, through The Foundry Company's assumption of approximately $1.1 billion in debt (net of approximately $100 million cash transferred by AMD to The Foundry Company) and cash payments from ATIC and Mubadala aggregating $1.0 billion;
  • Have the option, but not any requirement, to provide additional capital funding to The Foundry Company in response to future capital calls; and
  • Have an exclusive supply agreement with The Foundry Company, with limited exceptions, to manufacture AMD processors and to manufacture, where competitive, certain percentages of other AMD semiconductor products.
Upon closing, ATIC will:
  • Have equal voting rights with AMD in The Foundry Company;
    Own 55.6 percent of The Foundry Company on a fully converted to common basis;
  • Invest an initial $2.1 billion, of which $1.4 billion will be invested directly in the new company and $700 million will be paid directly to AMD;
  • Commit a minimum of $3.6 billion and up to $6.0 billion in additional funds over the next five years for the upgrade and expansion of fabrication facilities in Dresden and construction of a new facility in Upstate New York.
Upon closing, Mubadala will:
  • Purchase for an aggregate of $314 million 58 million newly issued AMD shares and warrants for 30 million additional shares, giving it a total stake in AMD of 19.3 percent on a fully diluted basis; and
  • Have a right to designate a representative for election as a member of the board of directors of AMD.
For more information on the announcement, visit www.amd.com/NewGlobalFoundry
Source: AMD
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49 Comments on AMD and ATIC of Abu Dhabi to Create New Semiconductor Manufacturing Company

#26
cdawall
where the hell are my stars
he does understand that intel's chips were designed in iran i believe
Posted on Reply
#27
KBD
cdawallhe does understand that intel's chips were designed in iran i believe
If you are referring to C2D that was a team in Isreal that designed it AFAIK.
Posted on Reply
#28
powerwolf
Israel/Iran, easy mistake to make. ;)

Seriously though, I don't think there has ever been a successful CPU company without its own fabs. Hopefully, AMD can be the first.

With their current close ties, everything might be hunky-dory now but eventually AMD will become just another customer. NVIDIA's recent spat with TSMC highlights the potential hazards ahead. If I offered The Foundry Company a big contract at top dollar, how long would their loyalty to AMD last?
Posted on Reply
#29
Katanai
Well sadly this means the beginning of the end for AMD. Just watch it unfold...
Posted on Reply
#30
Abu Assar
powerwolfIf I offered The Foundry Company a big contract at top dollar, how long would their loyalty to AMD last?
AMD already owns 44.4% of it , so they'll choose based on what benefit them most.

no need to worry , this deal was 1 year into discussion , so they probably reviewed all possible scenarios .
Posted on Reply
#31
Hayder_Master
that's what amd want just money and beast come out to eat everything
Posted on Reply
#32
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
NyteIs that sarcasm or racism?
more like being closed minded.
Posted on Reply
#33
trt740
KBDthis has nothing to do with with a deficit, trade or otherwise. Its called an investment not borrowing. Thats is a good thing. It would be scary if no one wanted to invest in the US economy than we will be in serious trouble. I'm not saying that we should allow all kinds of countries to invest without doing some backround checking but UAE is wealthy country that sits on all kinds of cash, they are one of the more enlighted nations in the Islamic world. There is nothing bad about them helping AMD
well spoken and true they are allies of the western world or as much as they can be.
Posted on Reply
#35
KBD
Abu AssarAMD already owns 44.4% of it , so they'll choose based on what benefit them most.

no need to worry , this deal was 1 year into discussion , so they probably reviewed all possible scenarios .
Most likely everything should be fine, though 44.4% is not a majority stake and we must not loose sight of the fact that the ATIC is here to make money for their investors as well. And even though this is deal for the long term i dont rule out the possiblity that things may change in the future. Lets hope everything will turn out well for the sake of the consumer and competition.
Posted on Reply
#36
mlupple
cdawallhe [mlupple] does understand that intel's chips were designed in iran i believe
KBDIf you are referring to C2D that was a team in Isreal that designed it AFAIK.
:nutkick:
Posted on Reply
#37
Darkrealms
Jansku07My favorite IT-site Overclockers.com (excellent, unbiased articles) sums it up really well:

www.overclockers.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4238:amd-finds-its-sugar-daddy&catid=57:processors&Itemid=4263

www.overclockers.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4240:the-other-side-to-the-amd-deal&catid=57:processors&Itemid=4263
Thanks for the links. If you're only going to read one read the second one it is much more informative. And unfortunately the ending points in the second article clearly state many of our fears about this. "How long till AMD is no longer "OUR" (USA) AMD but "their" AMD"
Posted on Reply
#38
KBD
DarkrealmsThanks for the links. If you're only going to read one read the second one it is much more informative. And unfortunately the ending points in the second article clearly state many of our fears about this. "How long till AMD is no longer "OUR" (USA) AMD but "their" AMD"
yes, both articles are quite interesting. As i said before, something like this was bound to happen. Since the deal was a year in the making AMD has been researching many options on how to get out of the mess they are in. We dont know what was going on behind the scenes but i'm sure they've considered other options such as partnerships with or investments from other companies, including American. It would've been nice if the an American company wound up making this investment, however AMD most likely took one of the best, if not the best, offers available to them. It is not an ideal situation but it gives AMD a chance to fight on and retain its status as independent chipmaker.
Posted on Reply
#39
Jansku07
KBDIt would've been nice if the an American company wound up making this investment, however AMD most likely took one of the best, if not the best, offers available to them. It is not an ideal situation but it gives AMD a chance to fight on and retain its status as independent chipmaker.
Amen brother. That really sums up my opinion too (though I'm a Finn so America/Arabs + AMD isn't a big deal to me).
Posted on Reply
#40
cdawall
where the hell are my stars
mlupple:nutkick:
how is that :nutkick:? its a middle eastern country and i said i believe? your the person who said he can't suport amd because they are out of the middle east and thats were intel's chips were freaking designed! dude GTFO or think things through
Posted on Reply
#41
Morgoth
Fueled by Sapphire
i have read this on dutch website
ist amd now breaking the rules abouth there X86 lisance
Posted on Reply
#42
mlupple
cdawallhow is that :nutkick:? its a middle eastern country and i said i believe? your the person who said he can't suport amd because they are out of the middle east and thats were intel's chips were freaking designed! dude GTFO or think things through
your original comment, and this comment both deserve a nutkick. Firstly for mixing up your facts from our #1 ally in the region, w/ our #1 enemy in the region. And another for thinking there's no real difference between the two countries.

Our country is being sold off bit by bit, and that's the last thing we need right now. Esp. if AMD is going to send U.S. jobs and U.S. money to a country I envy (yea, that's right. I envy them because they don't have a bunch of pansy liberals crying and suing everybody preventing people from doing cool shit with their money), then I'm going to buy NVid things.
Posted on Reply
#43
Darkrealms
cdawallhow is that :nutkick:? its a middle eastern country and i said i believe? your the person who said he can't suport amd because they are out of the middle east and thats were intel's chips were freaking designed! dude GTFO or think things through
There are major allegiance differences between USA and Israel and what the current thought is between USA and Islamic countries. So this is a big difference in many Americans eyes. Its like saying England or France what difference does that make they are both European countries. Its all in mindset.
Morgothi have read this on dutch website
ist amd now breaking the rules abouth there X86 lisance
I think AMD still owns the majority share in AMD itself but not the FAB companies and so long as AMD is the one having the chips made it shouldn't be a problem. I think.
Posted on Reply
#44
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
mluppleyour original comment, and this comment both deserve a nutkick. Firstly for mixing up your facts from our #1 ally in the region, w/ our #1 enemy in the region. And another for thinking there's no real difference between the two countries.

Our country is being sold off bit by bit, and that's the last thing we need right now. Esp. if AMD is going to send U.S. jobs and U.S. money to a country I envy (yea, that's right. I envy them because they don't have a bunch of pansy liberals crying and suing everybody preventing people from doing cool shit with their money), then I'm going to buy NVid things.
if i recall your the one starting the problems around here, you also sound too much like a fan boy, go somewhere else if your going to be negative, your demeanor is not welcome here.:shadedshu:slap:,
Posted on Reply
#45
cdawall
where the hell are my stars
mluppleyour original comment, and this comment both deserve a nutkick. Firstly for mixing up your facts from our #1 ally in the region, w/ our #1 enemy in the region. And another for thinking there's no real difference between the two countries.

Our country is being sold off bit by bit, and that's the last thing we need right now. Esp. if AMD is going to send U.S. jobs and U.S. money to a country I envy (yea, that's right. I envy them because they don't have a bunch of pansy liberals crying and suing everybody preventing people from doing cool shit with their money), then I'm going to buy NVid things.
that had nothing to do with my point though, which is what your missing all i was trying to point out was that both AMD and Intel have major ties to the middle east not to a specific country.
DarkrealmsThere are major allegiance differences between USA and Israel and what the current thought is between USA and Islamic countries. So this is a big difference in many Americans eyes. Its like saying England or France what difference does that make they are both European countries. Its all in mindset.

I think AMD still owns the majority share in AMD itself but not the FAB companies and so long as AMD is the one having the chips made it shouldn't be a problem. I think.
i wasn't trying to point out that it was a country the US was happy with just that it was a middle eastern country because thats what he was complaining about.
Posted on Reply
#46
mdm-adph
mluppleOur country is being sold off bit by bit, and that's the last thing we need right now. Esp. if AMD is going to send U.S. jobs and U.S. money to a country I envy (yea, that's right. I envy them because they don't have a bunch of pansy liberals crying and suing everybody preventing people from doing cool shit with their money), then I'm going to buy NVid things.
Your country is not being "sold off" -- no one owns it but you. Therefore, you're the ones that are "selling it off."

And the only "liberals" in America, at least where the economic theater is concerned, is the Republican party -- and since they were voted in twice in America over the past 8 years, I'd say that the majority of Americans are fine with what they're doing. :D
Posted on Reply
#47
suraswami
So what happens to ATI Fabs? Are they also sold to ATIC? So both CPU and GPU R&D by AMD and making of those to ATIC? Did I understand this right?
Posted on Reply
#48
mlupple
Jansku07Amen brother. That really sums up my opinion too (though I'm a Finn so America/Arabs + AMD isn't a big deal to me).
That's becuse Europe has already been taken over...
eidairaman1you also sound too much like a fan boy
That's exactly what I said... read the thread. "I was an ATI fanboy. Bought 2900xt, considering Phenom"
mdm-adphYour country is not being "sold off" -- no one owns it but you. Therefore, you're the ones that are "selling it off."
That's why I'm not going to put money into a company that's been sold off to the Arabs (besides chevron).
mdm-adphAnd the only "liberals" in America, at least where the economic theater is concerned, is the Republican party -- and since they were voted in twice in America over the past 8 years, I'd say that the majority of Americans are fine with what they're doing. :D
I agree with the fact that the Republican Party has been acting like a bunch of liberals for the last 8 years... but, in 2005 they did call for more regulation on Fanny and Freddie.

(BTW, thanks to liberals, you can sue McDonalds for millions if you order coffee without a 'warning' label on it.)
Posted on Reply
#49
btarunr
Editor & Senior Moderator
The WitcherI've to say this is a great news for my country (i'm from UAE and i live in Abu Dhabi ;P)
Depends...If AMD comes up with a line of products that keeps its cash registers ringing (the way it did, between 2003 and 2006), it's good news for you/your country. Otherwise, it's terrible news. ATIC will lose money, tons of it, if AMD doesn't perform.
Posted on Reply
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