Spansion signs flash memory deal in China

By Jim Carbone -- Purchasing, 11/1/2007 9:42:00 AM

Spansion, a flash memory manufacturer, has signed an agreement with Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) for flash memory production. 

Spansion will transfer its 65nm MirrorBit technology to SMIC for foundry services on 300mm wafers in China.
SMIC and Spansion have also signed a preliminary memorandum of understanding which would allow SMIC to enter selected segments of the Flash memory market with a license to manufacture and sell 90nm and 65nm and potentially future Spansion MirrorBit Quad products for the China content delivery market. 

Spansion has been investing in China for over 10 years and is now a leading flash memory provider to the top consumer electronics and wireless OEMs in the region. 

The investment started with the establishment by AMD, Spansion's former parent company, of the Suzhou final manufacturing facility, which is now one of the world's largest producers of memory multi-chip packages (MCPs). 

Since then, Spansion has added local design centers in Suzhou and Beijing, and sales and marketing offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. Through the foundry agreement with SMIC, Spansion will have wafer manufacturing capabilities in China. 

Spansion is based in Sunnyvale, Calif. SMIC is headquartered in Shanghai.