GlobalFoundries

GlobalFoundries Inc.
Company type	Public
Industry	Semiconductor contract fabrication and design
Founded	March 4, 2009; 17 years ago
Founder	Spin-off from AMD manufacturing division
Headquarters	Malta, New York, United States
Area served	Global
Key people	Thomas Caulfield (CEO)
Products	Integrated circuits on wafers for smart mobile devices, automotive, aerospace and defense, consumer IoT, data centers, communications infrastructure
Owner	Mubadala Investment Company (82%)
Website	globalfoundries.com

GlobalFoundries Inc. is a global semiconductor contract fabrication and design firm, headquartered in Malta, New York and legally incorporated in the Cayman Islands. Established in March 2009 as a spin-off from AMD's manufacturing division, it remained privately held by Mubadala Investment Company, the sovereign wealth fund of the UAE, until its initial public offering in October 2021. Mubadala continues to hold an 82% ownership interest.

The company manufactures integrated circuits on wafers serving diverse sectors such as smart mobile devices, automotive, aerospace and defense, consumer internet of things (IoT), data centers, and communications infrastructure.

By 2023, GlobalFoundries stood as the third-largest semiconductor foundry globally by revenue. Its manufacturing footprint includes fabrication facilities in three primary regions: two fabs in Singapore (one 200 mm and one 300 mm), a 300 mm fab located in Dresden, Germany, a 200 mm plant in Essex Junction, Vermont—its largest private employer—and a 300 mm fab situated in Malta, New York.

GlobalFoundries holds "Trusted Foundry" accreditation from the U.S. federal government along with comparable certifications in Singapore and Germany. These include compliance with the international Common Criteria standard (ISO 15408, CC Version 3.1).

The company's IPO took place on October 28, 2021, with shares priced at $47 each—at the upper limit of its anticipated range—raising roughly $2.6 billion via the Nasdaq exchange.

History

On October 7, 2008, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) revealed plans to transition to a fabless model by spinning off its semiconductor manufacturing into a new entity initially named The Foundry Company. Mubadala’s affiliate, Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC), committed $700 million to increase its stake in AMD’s manufacturing business from 8.1% to 55.6%. Additionally, Mubadala invested $314 million for more shares, raising its overall AMD stake to 19.3%, while $1.2 billion of AMD’s debt was transferred to The Foundry Company. By December 2008, ownership was split with AMD holding approximately 34.2% and ATIC controlling about 65.8%.

GlobalFoundries officially commenced operations on March 4, 2009. Later that year, ATIC acquired Chartered Semiconductor of Singapore for S$2.5 billion (US$1.8 billion), integrating it into GlobalFoundries by January 2010 and establishing the company as the first truly global semiconductor foundry.

In March 2012, AMD sold off its remaining 14% stake, fully exiting semiconductor manufacturing. In October 2014, IBM divested its microelectronics division to GlobalFoundries, broadening its fabrication capabilities.

By 2015, GlobalFoundries managed ten fabs: Fab 1 in Dresden, Germany; Fabs 2 through 7 in Singapore; and Fabs 8 through 10 across the northeastern United States, supported by global R&D and customer support centers. In February 2017, the company announced plans to build Fab 11 in China to address the expanding semiconductor market there.

In 2016, GlobalFoundries licensed Samsung’s 14 nm FinFET technology and developed a derivative 12 nm node by 2018. However, it halted development of an advanced 7 nm process in August 2018 to prioritize specialized manufacturing technologies over cutting-edge performance.

AMD revised wafer supply agreements with GlobalFoundries in January 2019, enabling AMD to source wafers at or beyond the 7 nm node from any foundry while maintaining pricing and supply commitments at the 12 nm node through 2021.

Between 2019 and 2020, GlobalFoundries divested several assets: selling Avera Semi (its ASIC division) to Marvell Technology Group for $650 million; Fab 3E in Singapore to Vanguard International Semiconductor; and Fab 10 in East Fishkill, New York to ON Semiconductor for $430 million. It also entered a multi-year supply agreement with Toppan Photomasks involving the sale of its Burlington photomask facility.

In February 2020, GlobalFoundries began production of embedded magnetoresistive RAM (eMRAM), targeting applications within IoT and automotive sectors.

Plans for Fab 11 in Chengdu, China—a proposed $10 billion investment—were abandoned in May 2020 due to geopolitical tensions between China and the United States.

In April 2021, GlobalFoundries shifted its global headquarters from Santa Clara, California to Malta, New York (the location of Fab 8), aligning corporate leadership closer to key manufacturing operations.

During August and October of 2022, Google collaborated with GlobalFoundries to develop an open-source process design kit (PDK) based on the foundry’s mature 180 nm technology node and sponsored free multi-project wafer shuttle runs aimed at advancing open-source silicon initiatives.

GlobalFoundries also engaged in philanthropic activities as a gold sponsor of the Special Olympics Vermont Penguin Plunge event in 2022, helping raise over $500,000.

In February 2023, GlobalFoundries entered into an exclusive supply agreement with General Motors for domestically produced semiconductor chips supporting GM’s transition toward electric vehicles. Production is slated for Malta, New York; however, CEO Thomas Caufield indicated that workforce expansion will unfold over two to three years.

On September 21, 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded GlobalFoundries a $3.1 billion contract spanning ten years for secure semiconductor manufacturing dedicated to aerospace and defense applications. This contract provides access to GlobalFoundries’ design ecosystem and advanced technologies.

In November 2024, GlobalFoundries paid a $500,000 penalty to the U.S. Department of Commerce following unlicensed shipments valued at $17 million sent to a sanctioned Chinese entity associated with Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation.

Growth and Capital Allocation through the CHIPS and Science Act

In February 2024, GlobalFoundries (GF) became the initial prominent beneficiary of a $1.5 billion funding award from the U.S. Department of Commerce under the CHIPS and Science Act. This financial support facilitates GF's expansion efforts and the development of additional fabrication capabilities, boosting semiconductor output for sectors such as automotive, IoT, aerospace, defense, and other vital markets.

GlobalFoundries v. TSMC et al (2019)

On August 26, 2019, GlobalFoundries initiated patent infringement proceedings against TSMC and several clients in both the United States and Germany. The allegations centered on TSMC’s 7 nm through 28 nm process nodes infringing upon sixteen patents owned by GF. Legal actions were pursued in the U.S. International Trade Commission, federal courts located in Delaware and Texas, as well as regional courts in Düsseldorf and Mannheim. The litigation involved twenty defendants, including major companies like Apple, Broadcom, Nvidia, Qualcomm, Google, and Lenovo. TSMC responded by evaluating the allegations and expressed confidence in its ability to defend its intellectual property.

Subsequently, on October 1, 2019, TSMC filed counterclaims against GlobalFoundries across jurisdictions in the United States, Germany, and Singapore. These claims accused GF of infringing twenty-five patents related to TSMC’s 12 nm to 40 nm technology nodes.

The conflict was resolved on October 29, 2019, when both parties consented to a comprehensive cross-licensing agreement covering all current patents as well as those filed within the following ten years. This arrangement strengthened their respective market positions while mitigating ongoing litigation risks within the semiconductor sector.

Chronology of GlobalFoundries Chief Executives

Doug Grose (2009–2011)
Ajit Manocha (2011–2014)
Sanjay Jha (2014–2018)
Thomas Caulfield (2018–2025)
Tim Breen (2025–present)

Operational Semiconductor Fabrication Plants

Facility	Wafer Size	Location	Technology Nodes
Fab 1	300 mm	Dresden, Germany	55, 45, 40, 32, 28, 22 nm; 12 nm
Fab 2	200 mm	Woodlands, Singapore	600–350 nm
Fab 3/5	200 mm	Woodlands, Singapore	350–180 nm
Fab 3E	200 mm	Tampines, Singapore (sold to VIS in 2019)	180 nm
Fab 6	200 mm	Woodlands, Singapore (converted to 300 mm and integrated into Fab 7)	180–110 nm
Fab 7	300 mm	Woodlands, Singapore	130–40 nm
Fab 8	300 mm	Luther Forest Technology Campus, Saratoga County, New York, United States	28, 20, 14 nm
Fab 9	200 mm	Essex Junction, Vermont, United States	350–90 nm

Fab 1

Located in Dresden, Germany, Fab 1 covers an area of 364,512 m² and was part of GlobalFoundries’ original acquisitions. It comprises two modules—Module 1 and Module 2 (previously known as Fab 36 and Fab 38)—each capable of producing up to 25,000 wafers monthly on a 300 mm scale.

Module 1 focuses on manufacturing wafers using nodes at 40 nm, 28 nm BULK, and 22 nm FDSOI technologies. Module 2 was initially a 200 mm facility with a monthly output of around 30,000 wafers but has since been upgraded to handle 300 mm wafers. Along with cleanroom expansions such as the Annex addition, the entire facility can produce up to approximately 80,000 wafers per month on a 300 mm basis (equivalent to about 180,000 wafers at the 200 mm scale), supporting technology nodes at or below the 45 nm threshold.

In September of 2016, GlobalFoundries announced intentions to retrofit Fab 1 for manufacturing at the advanced 12 nm fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) node with product tape-outs expected by early 2019. By the year 2020, this Dresden site achieved an annual production capacity near 300,000 wafers.

In a significant development during 2023, the company disclosed an $8 billion capital injection aimed at doubling output capabilities at its largest fabrication complex in Dresden. This investment is intended to bolster its global competitiveness and operational scale within semiconductor manufacturing.

Fab 7

Situated in Woodlands, Singapore, Fab 7 is a 300 mm fabrication plant that was initially owned by Chartered Semiconductor. It produces wafers utilizing bulk CMOS and SOI technologies ranging from 130 nm to 40 nm nodes. The facility’s peak output reaches 50,000 300 mm wafers monthly, which corresponds to approximately 112,500 wafers of 200 mm size. As of April 2021, plans were in place to increase Fab 7’s production capacity to between 70,000 and 80,000 wafers per month.

Fab 8

Fab 8 is a 300 mm fabrication facility located within the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Saratoga County, New York. Developed by GlobalFoundries as a greenfield site for cutting-edge semiconductor technologies, it commenced mass production in 2012 with an initial capacity of 60,000 wafers per month—equivalent to more than 135,000 wafers of 200 mm diameter—starting at the 14 nm process node. In 2016, GlobalFoundries announced a multibillion-dollar investment aimed at upgrading Fab 8 for producing chips at the 7 nm FinFET node using deep ultraviolet lithography, with plans to later transition to extreme ultraviolet lithography.

In August 2018, however, GlobalFoundries halted its development of the 7 nm process due to high costs and redirected its focus toward FD-SOI manufacturing and research activities. Despite this shift, Fab 8 remains a vital supplier of CPU wafers for AMD’s Zen-based Ryzen, Threadripper, and Epyc processors. While earlier Zen processors were monolithic and fabricated at GlobalFoundries’ Malta, NY facility, AMD’s Zen 2 architecture adopted a chiplet approach combining a GlobalFoundries-produced I/O die at 14/12 nm with core dies manufactured on TSMC’s 7 nm process. Following the suspension of Fab 8’s 7 nm production, AMD revised its Wafer Supply Agreement (WSA) with GlobalFoundries in early 2019. Under this updated contract, AMD can procure wafers at the 7 nm node from any foundry without paying royalties but continues sourcing wafers at the 12 nm node and above from GlobalFoundries through 2024. This agreement ensures ongoing production activity at GlobalFoundries’ Malta fab and includes fixed pricing commitments through the end of 2021.

Accreditation as a Trusted Supplier

In May 2023, GlobalFoundries’ advanced manufacturing site in Malta, New York, received Category 1A Trusted Supplier certification from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) via the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) Trusted Access Program Office (TAPO). This accreditation permits GlobalFoundries to manufacture secure semiconductors intended for critical aerospace and defense sectors, thereby strengthening its position in secure semiconductor fabrication markets.

Fab 10

Located in East Fishkill, New York, Fab 10 was formerly known as IBM Building 323 before becoming part of GlobalFoundries through the acquisition of IBM Microelectronics. This fab specialized in technology nodes down to 14 nm. In April 2019, GlobalFoundries sold the East Fishkill facility to ON Semiconductor for $430 million, with ownership transfer scheduled over three years. On February 10, 2023, ON Semiconductor finalized the acquisition of this 300 mm fabrication site, representing a strategic divestment by GlobalFoundries to concentrate on other core business areas.

200 mm fabrication plants

All 200 mm wafer fabrication facilities, except for Fab 9, are situated in Singapore. These fabs were initially owned by Chartered Semiconductor and constitute vital components of GlobalFoundries’ worldwide manufacturing network, supporting its strategy of offering a broad range of semiconductor production capabilities.

Fab 2

Located in Woodlands, Singapore, Fab 2 produces wafers ranging from 600 to 350 nm technology nodes. It specializes in manufacturing automotive integrated circuits, high voltage power management ICs, and mixed-signal devices.

Fab 3/5

Also based in Woodlands, Fab 3/5 fabricates wafers at process nodes between 350 and 180 nm. Its primary products include high voltage ICs used in small panel display drivers and mobile power management applications.

Fab 3E

Situated in Tampines, Singapore, Fab 3E manufactures 180 nm wafers for automotive ICs, high voltage power management devices, and mixed-signal products featuring embedded non-volatile memory. In January 2019, GlobalFoundries agreed to divest Fab 3E to Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation, with the ownership transfer finalized by the end of December 2019.

Fab 6

Fab 6, located in Woodlands, is a copper-based fabrication plant producing CMOS and RFCMOS components for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies at process nodes from 180 to 110 nm. Subsequently, it was upgraded to support 300 mm wafer technology and consolidated with Fab 7 to manufacture on larger wafers.

Fab 9

Fab 9 is located in Essex Junction, Vermont, and became part of GlobalFoundries through the acquisition of IBM Microelectronics. It produces semiconductor devices down to the 90 nm technology node and stands as Vermont’s largest private-sector employer. The facility also included a mask shop that developed technology down to the 7 nm node until its sale to Toppan in 2019.

Chartered Semiconductor

In September 2009, Advanced Technology Investment Co., the principal investor in GlobalFoundries, acquired Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing based in Singapore for $3.9 billion. Following this acquisition, Chartered’s operations were fully integrated into GlobalFoundries. Chartered Semiconductor was affiliated with IBM’s Common Platform semiconductor alliance, an alliance in which GlobalFoundries continues as a joint development agreement partner.

IBM Microelectronics

GlobalFoundries acquired IBM Microelectronics in October 2014 for $1.5 billion. This transaction included a 200 mm fab (now known as Fab 9) located in Essex Junction, Vermont, and a 300 mm fab (now Fab 10) situated in East Fishkill, New York. As part of the deal, GlobalFoundries secured exclusive rights as IBM’s server processor chip supplier for a decade. The acquisition was completed on July 1, 2015. Additionally, personnel from IBM’s India operations transitioned into GlobalFoundries’ Bangalore facility during this process.

In April 2019, GlobalFoundries entered into an agreement with ON Semiconductor to transfer ownership of the East Fishkill Fab 10 facility for $430 million.

GlobalFoundries initiated legal action against IBM in both 2021 and 2023 over intellectual property conflicts concerning IBM’s contracts with Intel and Rapidus.

MIPS Technologies

In 2025, GlobalFoundries purchased MIPS Technologies for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition aimed to incorporate MIPS’ RISC-V architecture and artificial intelligence intellectual property into GlobalFoundries’ semiconductor product lineup and to broaden its technology portfolio.

Process technologies

GlobalFoundries' 22 nm FD-SOI technology is licensed from STMicroelectronics, which subsequently entered into a licensing agreement with Samsung for the identical process. Their 14 nm 14LPP FinFET node is derived from Samsung Electronics' technology, and the 12 nm FinFET nodes are developed based on Samsung's 14 nm 14LPP platform.

Node name	ITRS node (nm)	Introduction year	Wafer diameter (mm)	Lithography (wavelength)	Transistor architecture	Gate pitch (nm)	Metal 1 pitch (nm)	SRAM bit density (μm²)
4S	600	1993	200 Bulk	–	Planar	–	–	–
CS-24	500	1993	200 Bulk	–	Planar	–	–	–
SiGe 5HP	500	2001	200	–	Planar	–	–	–
SiGe 5PAe	350	2007	200	–	Planar	–	–	–
CS-44	250	1998	200 Bulk	Dry 248nm DUV	Planar	–	–	–
SiGe 6HP	250	2000	200	Dry 248nm DUV	Planar	–	–	–
7S	220	1998	200 Bulk	Dry 248nm DUV	Planar	–	–	–
180 BCDLite	180	2011	200	Dry 248nm DUV	Planar	–	–	–
130 BCDLite	130	2014	300	Dry 248nm DUV	Planar	–	–	–
SiGe 8HP	130	2005	200,300	Dry 248nm DUV	Planar	–	–	–
9S	130	2000	200 SOI,300 SOI	Dry 248nm DUV	Planar	–	–	–
SiGe 9HP	90	2014,2018	200,300	Dry 193nm DUV	Planar	–	–	–
65LPe	65	2009	300 Bulk	Dry 193nm DUV	Planar	–	–	–
55 BCDLite	55	2018	300	Dry 193nm DUV	Planar	–	–	–
45RFSOI	45	2008	300 RF-SOI	Wet 193nm DUV	Planar	–	–	–
32LPHP/SHP/HP+SHP*	(32)	?/2010/ ?	(300)	Wet/Multiple patterning (double)	Planar	(–)	(–)	(–)
28LP/28SLP/28HP/28HPP/28SHP/28SLP RF/28FDSOI*	(28)	2009-2015	(300)	Wet/Multiple patterning (double)	Planar	(–)	(–)	(–)
22FDX-ULP/UHP/ULL/RFA/RF+*	(22)	2015-2021	(300)	Wet ArF DUV	(Planar)	(–)	(–)	(–)
14LPP/14HP*	(14)	2015-2017	(300)	Wet ArF DUV, double patterning	(3D FinFET)	(78)	(64)	(0.09)
12LP/12LP+*	(12)	2018-2019	(300)	Wet ArF DUV, double patterning	(3D FinFET)	(–)	(–)	(–)

Nodes denoted with asterisks represent process variants or improvements in lithographic methods or transistor design.

This extensive range of manufacturing technologies forms the foundation of GlobalFoundries' strength in semiconductor fabrication. It enables them to deliver a broad spectrum of products and services worldwide. Their collaborative agreements and licensing arrangements with leading firms such as STMicroelectronics and Samsung broaden their technological capabilities and market presence, highlighting sustained business expansion and commitment to advanced process development.

External links