➀ GlobalFoundries has been in contact with UMC regarding a potential merger, exploring a partnership two years ago but without progress.

➁ The proposed merger aims to create a larger wafer fabrication company, ensuring the supply of mature process chips in the US and investing in R&D.

➂ UMC and GlobalFoundries rank fourth and fifth in the wafer fabrication market with 5.5% and 4.7% shares respectively in Q4 2024.

➃ The combined revenue would reach $3.7 billion, potentially surpassing Samsung to become the second-largest wafer foundry after TSMC.

➄ Both companies have complementary process technologies and a production footprint across three continents.

➅ The merger faces challenges such as antitrust reviews by regulatory departments and handling agreements with Intel.

➆ UMC responded to the rumors by stating that there are no ongoing merger cases.

➀ The CHIPS and Science Act, aimed at strengthening U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, is under threat of repeal by the Trump administration.

➁ The Act has already attracted nearly $450 billion in private investment from leading companies, raising concerns about the impact of its repeal on the U.S. chip market.

➂ Political hurdles and legal obligations make the repeal process complex and challenging.

➀ Indie Semiconductor, a specialist in automotive SiPho and sensors, plans to use Globalfoundries' 22nm FD-SOI process for its 77GHz and 120GHz radar SoCs designed for ADAS and industrial applications.

➁ The adoption of automotive radar is being accelerated by global vehicle safety regulations, new car assessment programs, and consumer demand for convenience features.

➂ indie's 77 GHz SoCs are used for long-range detection and applications like FCW, AEB, BSD, and cross-traffic alert, while the 120 GHz SoCs are aimed at cabin applications like occupant monitoring and vital sign detection.

➀ GlobalFoundries, a leading semiconductor manufacturer, has announced a major leadership transition;

➁ Tim Breen, the current Chief Operating Officer (COO), will take over as President and CEO effective April 28th, 2025;

➂ Thomas Caulfield, who has been serving as CEO since 2018, will transition to a new role.

➀ GlobalFoundries plans to establish a new advanced packaging and testing center at its New York fabrication site, investing $575 million.

➁ The center will offer advanced packaging services for GF's differentiated silicon photonics platform, as well as full turnkey services for aerospace and defense customers.

➂ The U.S. Department of Commerce will contribute up to $75 million in direct funding, and New York state will provide additional support.

➀ The US government has imposed a $500,000 fine on GlobalFoundries for violating export regulations by shipping over $17 million worth of wafers to SJ Semiconductor, which was on the entity list managed by the US Department of Commerce.

➁ SJ Semiconductor, a former majority-owned subsidiary of SMIC, was added to the entity list in 2020 but its shares were sold to other investors in 2021.

➂ GlobalFoundries sent 74 batches of wafers to SJ Semiconductor between February 2021 and October 2022, totaling over $17 million, despite the lack of any relationship with SMIC during that period.