英飞凌将出售HDD业务
英飞凌宣布将把它的硬盘驱动器(HDD)设计及制造业务卖给LSI公司。英飞凌在通信、汽车、工业和多媒体市场都很活跃，不过近年来盈利有所下滑。HDD不是英飞凌的市场强项，却是LSI的核心市场。
根据出售协议条款，英飞凌将把它整个HDD业务，包括客源与技术情报全部转让，并附赠一项IP授权。此外，这次交易还包括设计服务协议。不过，交易并没有包括员工或“重要资产”的转让，对此英飞凌没有提供进一步信息。
这次收购的财务细节未披露，预计收购将在第二季结束。
英飞凌近期内最令人瞩目的精简举措是2006年把存储器业务拆分为新公司奇梦达(Qimonda AG)。此外，为更好地进军通信领域，英飞凌2007年收购了LSI的移动产品业务。
Infineon sells HDD biz to LSI
While HDD is not a market Infineon leads in, hard disk drives is a
key market for LSI, which gains Hitachi Global Storage Technologies
as a customer through the deal.
By Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, News -- Electronic News,
3/10/2008
Infineon Technologies AG will sell its hard disk drive (HDD) design and manufacture
business to LSI Corp as it continues to remove itself from semiconductor industry
segments where it is not a market leader.
Under the terms of the agreement, Infineon will transfer its
complete HDD activities, including customer relations as well as
know-how, and will grant an IP license. Also included in the deal
is a design service agreement. However, the deal does not include
the transfer of employees or “significant assets,” for which
Infineon did not offer further detail.
“The sale of our HDD business is yet another step towards our
overall commitment to streamlining our business activities to focus
on our core markets,” Sandro Cerato, VP and general manager of the
ASIC design and security business unit at Infineon, said in a
statement today.
Infineon, which plays in the communications, automotive,
industrial, and multimedia markets, has been slimming down its
interests for some time now, making it clear to the business
community that it intends to be among the top companies in any
semiconductor segment it focuses on. While HDD is not a market
Infineon leads in, HDD is a key market for LSI, which gains Hitachi
Global Storage Technologies as a customer through the deal.
“Through the addition of the Infineon HDD business, LSI has taken
another significant step toward becoming the leading worldwide
provider of silicon solutions for hard disk drive makers,” said
Ruediger Stroh, executive VP and general manager of LSI’s storage
peripherals group, in the statement. “We expect the acquisition to
immediately accelerate revenue with a top-tier customer, Hitachi
Global Storage Technologies, while enhancing our competitive
position in the desktop and enterprise space.”
The most notable of Infineon’s recent streamlining actions is the
Germany-based company’s 2006 spin off of its memory business into Qimonda AG. Infineon has also made acquisitions part of its
strategy and in 2007 bought LSI’s mobile products business, driving itself deeper into the communications segment.
“In LSI, we have found an excellent company with a mutual interest
in supporting our customer base,” Cerato said of the HDD deal.
“Infineon is fully committed to work with LSI to provide a seamless
transition.”
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition
is expected to close in Q2.
http://www.edn.com/article/CA6539819.html
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