Amkor and GlobalFoundries cut ribbon on strategic cooperation in Portugal

Amkor Technology, a provider of semiconductor packaging and test services, and GlobalFoundries (GF), one of the semiconductor manufacturers, will officially kick off their strategic partnership in Europe with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Amkor’s Porto, Portugal facility on January 16, 2024.

Since February 2023, GF has transferred 50 tools from its Dresden site to Amkor in Porto, with the first customer products being qualified on the newly installed GF tools.

The new partnership between the two companies redefines the landscape of semiconductor manufacturing by enabling the first comprehensive EU supply chain — from semiconductor wafer production at GF to OSAT services at Amkor. To facilitate this collaboration, GF is transferring its 300 mm Bump (12-inch bump, CuP, and plated bump) and Sort lines from its Dresden site to Amkor’s IATF16949-certified Porto plant to establish the first at-scale back-end facility in Europe.

This key strategic partnership between Amkor and GF is uniquely positioned to aid the European Union in its drive toward automotive semiconductor manufacturing regionalization. Amkor’s global footprint and strong European presence combined with GF’s tools, processes, and know-how will enable the Porto site to help the European Union pursue its goals of ensuring supply chain stability and delivering the next-generation automotive and other critical chip solutions. 

“Amkor has more than 40 years of automotive expertise and is IATF-certified across seven countries around the world,” said Kevin Engel, Amkor’s executive vice president, Business Units. “Amkor brings the scale and expertise of its global advanced packaging footprint to this exciting collaboration. Our partnership with GlobalFoundries signals our common goal to stabilize a robust and resilient European automotive supply chain.” 

“GF Dresden is Europe’s largest and most advanced semiconductor manufacturer and Amkor is the only Tier 1 OSAT in Europe,” said Dr. Manfred Hortsmann, senior vice president and general manager of European Fabs. “Together, we enable one of the most robust chip supply chains outside of Asia, creating a more resilient European supply chain for key end markets including automotive.”

Amkor’s collaboration with GF represents a significant stride in the expansion of offerings and overall footprint in Portugal. Amkor also recently broke ground on a new factory expansion in Porto to deepen its commitment to supporting local supply chains and global customers.