IBM, GF Explore New Partners

Rick Merritt, EEtimes
8/4/2014 02:05 PM EDT

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Like an old married couple, IBM and Globalfoundries are still great partners, but at this stage, they just have different needs. At least, that's the theory I am brewing after a long discussion with Semiconductor Advisors market watcher Robert Maire late Friday afternoon.

Globalfoundries needs to grab the brass ring to cement its position as a top foundry player. That means big deals for high-margin, bleeding-edge fab business. TSMC is all over the 28nm node, so GF is trying to get out ahead of the 14nm node with its deal with Common Platform partner Samsung that apparently has an edge with the process.

With the technology in place, GF's next step was to put in the right team to drive to 14nm production. Enter Tom Caufield, the guy who led IBM's leading-edge East Fishkill, N.Y., plant for many years. "If anyone can do it, he can," Maire said.

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