IXYS and GMCH partner in manufacturing
power semiconductor devices for electrics cars
IXYS Corporation and General Motors Components Holdings
jointly announced that they have entered into an agreement
for the fabrication of power semiconductor wafers, mainly
for use in electric cars.
IXYS owns and operates wafer fab facilities for its proprietary
products in Germany, the UK and the USA. To address the
increasing demand for IXYS' specialized products, IXYS is
increasing its internal and external power semiconductor
wafer fab capacities.
IXYS initially was selected by GM's Delco division in 1990
to develop the specialized power semiconductors for the
legendary electric car, the EV1, for manufacturing at the
Kokomo, Indiana wafer fab. Given the growing importance
of power semiconductors for transportation industries, including
for electric trains, cars, electrical and hybrid vehicles
("EVs", "HEVs"), it is a strategic fit
for IXYS to engage with GMCH in order to establish a large
scale power semiconductor wafer fabrication base in the
USA, says IXYS.
"IXYS is looking forward to this new page in our historical
relationship with GMCH in order to expand high power semiconductor
fabrication in the USA by moving production into the domestic
fab that GMCH owns. It is our long term strategy to penetrate
the growing opportunities in the automotive market with
GMCH for a wide range of our power semiconductors, including
our power modules. As a U.S. company that pioneered high
power MOSFETs and IGBTs, we are proud to work with GMCH
in establishing a solid U.S. base for fabricating some of
our power semiconductors. The proven manufacturing and technical
skills of the GMCH team in Kokomo will enable us to expand
our capacity rapidly, to improve our domestic supply chain,
and to serve our worldwide customers with cost effective,
high quality 'made in the USA' products," commented
Dr. Nathan Zommer, Founder and CEO of IXYS Corporation.
"In light of the recent growth that we have experienced,
we have looked to increase our manufacturing capacity. Our
customers desire multiple sources for our products, especially
wafer fabrication. We have been using our Clare fab in Massachusetts,
which is essentially a high voltage integrated circuit wafer
fab, to augment our power semiconductor wafer needs. However,
the capabilities and capacity that GMCH will make available
to us can address our potential growth needs beyond the
capacity of the Clare fab, which may provide us great operational
benefits in the USA," commented Uzi Sasson, President
of IXYS Corporation.
In 2010, the GMCH Kokomo Operations began making its manufacturing
capabilities available to customers beyond Delphi and General
Motors. Currently, this plant employs over a thousand people
at a facility with over two million square feet of manufacturing
space. It continues to produce devices including semiconductors,
engine and transmission control modules, crash sensingand
diagnostics modules, pressure sensors for engine management
and occupant detection, body computer modules and power
electronics modules primarily for the automotive industry.
To learn more about GMCH Kokomo, click here:www.kokomogmch.com
