GlobalWafers Co., Ltd. is a Taiwanese semiconductor company. As of 2022, they are the world's third largest silicon wafer supplier.
History
GlobalWafers was spun off from Sino-American Silicon Products in 2011.[2]
In December 2016, GlobalWafers completed its acquisition of SunEdison Semiconductor, which was later renamed to MEMC and remains a wholly owned subsidiary.[3]
In 2018, Nikkei Asia reported on extensive talent poaching issues from China being faced by GlobalWafers.[4]
In 2020, GlobalWafers announced their attempted acquisition of German silicon wafer supplier Siltronic.[5] The deal fell apart 2022 when the German government failed to clear the deal by the required deadline.[6] GlobalWafers later announced that they would be putting the more than US$3 billion earmarked for the acquisition towards capacity expansion.[7][8]
On 11 March 2026, Globalwafers warned that prolonged disruptions to regional oil supplies or key materials due to the ongoing Middle East conflict could pose risks to the technology supply chain in the future.[9]
Operations
South Korea
GlobalWafers operates in South Korea under subsidiary MEMC Korea Co. A second fab opened in 2019.[10]
United States
GlobalWafers opened a fab in Sherman, Texas in May 2025, billing it as the "new epicenter of semiconductor manufacturing in North America." It is the first of three planned fabs in Sherman.[11]
In 2021, GlobalWafers also announced fabs to be built in Missouri as part of a partnership with GlobalFoundries.[12]
External links
References
- Lisa Wang. Sino-American reports record profits taipeitimes.com, Taipei Times, retrieved 17 March 2022^
- Chang Ai, Frances Huang. Taiwan's GlobalWafers chair named EY World Entrepreneur of the Year focustaiwan.tw, Focus Taiwan, 9 June 2023, retrieved 9 June 2023^
- GlobalWafers completes acquisition of SunEdison Semiconductor Digest, 2016-12-02, retrieved 2025-05-17^
- Ting-Fang Cheng. GlobalWafers sees talent poaching from China as 'big concern' Nikkei Asia, 3 July 2018, retrieved 6 February 2022^
- GlobalWafers nearer to Siltronic deal: sources taipeitimes.com, Taipei Times, 13 January 2022, retrieved 6 February 2022^
- Sam Shead. Germany scuttles $5 billion chip deal with Taiwan firm amid tech sovereignty concerns cnbc.com, CNBC, February 2022, retrieved 6 February 2022^
- Tsai Peng-min, Chang Chien-chung, Evelyn Kao. GlobalWafers unveils expansion plans after bid for Siltronic fails focustaiwan.tw, Focus Taiwan, 6 February 2022, retrieved 6 February 2022^
- CHENG TING-FANG, LAULY LI. GlobalWafers plans $3.6bn expansion after Siltronic bid fails asia.nikkei.com, Nikkei Asia, retrieved 6 February 2022^
- Taiwan's Pegatron, GlobalWafers see no immediate risk from Middle East war CNA, retrieved 2026-03-12^
- Lisa Wang. GlobalWafers completes new fab in South Korea taipeitimes.com, Taipei Times, 23 November 2019, retrieved 6 February 2022^
- GlobalWafers America Global Wafers America, retrieved 14 May 2025^
- Matthew Connatser. GlobalWafers scores $400M to help build US's first 300mm wafer plants in Texas and Missouri The Register, 2024-07-17, retrieved 2025-05-17^