January 08, 2010 GlobalFoundries finds third client in Qualcomm By EMILY DONOHUE, The Saratogian
SUNNYVALE, Calif. GlobalFoundries added a third client to its customer base this week. The microchip manufacturer currently building a plant in Malta announced Wednesday that it had reached an agreement with Qualcomm Inc.
According to a release, GlobalFoundries intends to supply Qualcomm with technology for handheld products. A GlobalFoundries spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on how this agreement might impact the foundry currently under construction in Malta.
GlobalFoundries is expected to begin receiving product designs from Qualcomm at the manufacturers Dresden, Germany, facility this year.
In addition to the planned Malta chip fabrication plant, GlobalFoundries has facilities in Austin, Texas, and Dresden. Construction on the Malta chip fab is expected to be complete by 2011 and the plant is scheduled to be manufacturing microchips at full capacity by 2012.
The companies have reached a non-binding memorandum of understand and have not signed an official contract.
Jim Clifford, senior vice president and general manager of operations at Qualcomm CDMA Technologies, said GlobalFoundries manufacturing capacity and technology makes the company well-positioned to help us enable the next generation of wireless innovation."
