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NXP Signs Final Agreement for the Re-industrialization of its Cote de Nacre Site

14th May 2009

ES Admin

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NXP has announced that a new company, named IPDIA, has been created to re-industrialize the company’s Cote de Nacre, France, facility. IPDIA, who is supported by the French Ministry of Economy, Industry & Labor and local authorities, and from a capital investment of more than 5 million Euros raised by a consortium of investors including NXP, is purchasing some of the assets from the Cote de Nacre plant (IP, patents and equipment) and is hiring a portion of the staff.

“This agreement is a positive outcome which enables us to create jobs and maintain a unique know-how as well as an innovative technology in the Caen area,” declared Jean-Yves Muller, President and General Manager of NXP France. “This marks the first culmination of the réindustrialisation efforts undertaken by NXP for its Cote de Nacre facility.’

The initial staff will consist of 90 people, the majority of which will be recruited among NXP’s laid-off employees. IPDIA will be launched in June this year.

IPDIA’s investors consist of the following companies:
* Prime Technology Ventures
* Emertec Gestion
* Masseran Gestion
* NCI Gestion
* CEA Investissement
together with
* the founding directors of the company
* and NXP

IPDIA will focus on two main activities: the production of LED bases and integrated passive devices. IPDIA aims to transform the Cote de Nacre facility into a European center of excellence thanks to a unique 3D silicon fabrication process enabling the production of extremely small electronic components in response to the needs of the medical, energy, aerospace and defense markets.

IPDIA has planned to enter into close R&D partnerships with CEA-LETI and CNRS-LAAS to strengthen its technological position.

Franck Murray, one of the founding directors, becomes CEO of IPDIA. Franck has more than 25 years of experience working in the semiconductor industry. A graduate from L’Ecole Centrale de Paris, he was most recently Director of Technology for NXP Semiconductors France. Franck won the prestigious General Ferrie Award in 2004 for his work on integrated passive components processes.

According to Jelto Kromwijk Smits, partner at Prime Technology Ventures: “The technology developed in Caen has great potential and can be used in multiple end-markets. IPDIA has acquired a unique passive integration technology, and we are very excited to be in the position to support the company in the coming years on its growth path”.

Jean-Philippe Stefanini, partner at Emertec Gestion, adds: “Franck Murray and his team are of excellent quality and we have full confidence that they will develop IPDIA into a category leader on a global scale”.