News: Microelectronics
5 January 2024
X-FAB acquires M-MOS from Xtrion for €22.5m
Analog/digital (mixed-signal) integrated circuit, sensor, micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) and specialty semiconductor foundry X-FAB Silicon Foundries SE of Tessenderlo, Belgium plans to acquire M-MOS Semiconductor Hong Kong Ltd from Xtrion NV for €22.5m.
Also based in Tessenderlo, Xtrion held a majority stake in X-FAB until mid-November, when Xtrion sold its stake to Elex NV and Sensinnovat BV (the investment vehicles and holding companies of the Duchâtelet family and De Winter-Chombar family, respectively). Since Elex and Sensinnovat were already indirect shareholders in Xtrion, the transaction represented a restructuring of the shareholdings in X-FAB of the Duchâtelet and De Winter-Chombar families which (along with fellow X-FAB investor Sarawak Technology Holdings Sdn Bhd) were subsequently free to pursue individual, independent investment strategies.
M-MOS is a fabless company specialized in the development of MOSFET technologies and the design of custom MOSFET devices. Its MOSFET wafers sell mainly into the industrial, consumer and automotive markets are manufactured by X-FAB. In 2022, M-MOS recorded revenue of US$32m.
“X-FAB started its discrete devices business more than 20 years ago in Erfurt, Germany, followed by trench MOSFETs we have been producing for M-MOS at our Malaysian site in Kuching,” says X-FAB group CEO Rudi De Winter. “Since then, more and more discrete business has been developed, such as the silicon carbide (SiC) technology at X-FAB Texas and gallium nitride (GaN) at X-FAB Dresden,” he adds. “I am convinced that the process and product design know-how but also the market know-how of M-MOS will help to accelerate X‑FAB’s discrete business development going forward.”
