AMD and Fujitsu Form New Flash Memory Joint-Venture

by Anton Shilov
07/14/2003 | 12:34 PM

AMD and Fujitsu Limited today announced the formation of a new Flash memory semiconductor joint-venture that will market its solutions under the new Spansion global product brand name. The new company, FASL LLC, was formed by the integration of AMD's and Fujitsu’s Flash memory businesses. The new joint-venture is the largest Flash memory company in the world based on dedicated resources that include gross assets having a net book value of approximately $3 billion and approximately 7000 employees. Spansion Flash memory solutions are available worldwide from AMD and Fujitsu.

Company Details:

• The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, and operates a Japan headquarters in Tokyo.
• AMD owns a 60% interest in the new company and Fujitsu owns 40%; the company’s financial results will be consolidated in AMD’s financial statements.
• Gross assets having a net book value of approximately US$3 billion.
• The company sells Spansion Flash memory products through AMD and Fujitsu and their respective sales forces.
• Global workforce of approximately 7000 employees.

Key executives include:

• Dr. Bertrand Cambou, president and CEO, FASL LLC.
• Toshihiko Ono, chairman of the board, FASL LLC, and Fujitsu Limited corporate senior vice president and group president of Fujitsu’s Electronic Devices Business Group.
• Shinji Suzuki, executive vice president, FASL LLC, and president of FASL Japan Limited.
• The board of managers consists of 10 members, six appointed by AMD and four by Fujitsu.

AMD contributed to the new company its Flash memory group; Fab 25 in Austin, Texas; its research and development center known as the Submicron Development Center (SDC) in Sunnyvale, California; and its Flash memory assembly and test operations in Thailand, Malaysia, and China. Fujitsu contributed its Flash memory business division and Fujitsu Microelectronics (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd final assembly and test operations. Fujitsu and AMD jointly contributed their respective interests in the original manufacturing joint venture, Fujitsu AMD Semiconductor Limited, located in Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan.

AMD and Fujitsu have a solid history of cooperation. The original manufacturing joint venture, initiated in 1993, has been a model of success for US-Japanese joint-ventures.