Croeso i Gymru

Last month saw the announcement that Cardiff based IQE plc will acquire the in-house MBE epi-wafer manufacturing unit of RFMD. RFMD outsources all MOCVD-based starting material, and will outsource MBE-based starting material with the completion of the transfer. In addition, RFMD and IQE have entered into a long term agreement with IQE supplying RFMD both MBE and MOCVD deposited wafers. The assets transferred to IQE include a fully fitted cleanroom of over 90,000sq ft, 16 MBE manufacturing systems and associated equipment, all currently housed in a stand-alone building in Greensboro, NC, USA. IQE will use any spare capacity from the transferred MBE facility to meet the growing demand for concentrator photovoltaic solar products. RFMD view this outsourcing approach as being a route to lower manufacturing costs.