Numonyx strikes fab deal with Japan's Elpida

INTEL SPIN-OFF NUMONYX has just signed a deal with Japanese silicon foundry Elpida Memory to make NOR-based flash memory devices for the firm in its 300-mm wafer fab in Hiroshima.

Numonyx, the love child of Intel and STMicroelectronics already makes NOR flash at its 200-mm wafer fab in Kiryat Gat, Israel, formerly Intel's Fab 18, which has now been renamed Fab 1. The firm also has a 200 mm wafer fab in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore, dubbed Fab 2, owned by STMicroelectronics.

Numonyx says it is not planning on going fabless and will continue churning out chips from its own fabs as well as making good use of Elpida's Hiroshima fab to make 65nm and 45nm devices. The firm is also said to be in the process of equipping an empty fab in Catania, Italy, to make 300mm M6 wafers, which it hopes will be ready by the end of the year.

Mummy Intel and Daddy STMicroelectronics will also give little Numonyx a boost by manufacturing a fair few flash chips for the company themselves.

Brian Harrison, Numonyx’s president and CEO said, "working with Elpida means that we are able to collaborate with a proven technology company with highly-efficient facilities and large-scale capacity that can help us deliver on that promise in the most cost-effective way." µ

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