Semiconductor Industry Mergers And Acquisitions In 2021

By knowing the latest news, we can pre-empt what skills and experiences will be the most valuable to a company and introduce them to the right candidate.

Semiconductor mergers 2021

2021 has been huge for the semiconductor market; navigating the pandemic and the chip shortage are just a couple of the murky waters the industry has had to navigate. But there have also been multiple company mergers.

Thinking back to 2018, the total value of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) across the industry was circa. $26,6B. Last year that total value rose to $118.0B. 

Let’s look at some of the bigger M&As of 2021 and how this could impact the semiconductor job market:

1.  Newport Wafer Fab acquired by Nexperia

This was a 100% acquisition, with the Newport Wafer Fab rebranded to be Nexperia Newport. This agreement was part of Nexperia’s plans to boost its global production capacity and was announced on 5th July 2021.

What could the Newport Wafer Fab acquisition mean for the semiconductor job market?

Plans for Nexperia Newport include ensuring they maintain a strong position within the Welsh ecosystem and tech departments and securing jobs at the site. 

Paul James, the managing director of the Newport site, said of the acquisition: 

“The acquisition is great news for the staff here in Newport and the wider business community in the region as Nexperia is providing much-needed investment and stability for the future.”

In addition to the current employee count at the company, which James said they are “keen to keep”, additional resources may be required. A departing chairman also stated that the acquisition would expand opportunities to add new semiconductor technologies. 

Both of these increase the potential of local jobs for skilled candidates while seeming to secure the positions of everybody formally employed by Newport Wafer Fab.

2.  Dialog Semiconductor Plc acquired by Renesas Electronics Corporation

This acquisition, announced on 31st August 2021, will merge the supply of advanced semiconductor solutions (provided by Renesas Electronics Corporation) with the battery and power management, industrial edge computing solutions, Bluetooth low energy and Wi-Fi solutions (provided by Dialog Semiconductor PLc).

What could the Dialog Semiconductor Plc acquisition mean for the semiconductor job market?

According to the President and CEO at Renesas, the acquisition is part of a larger, longer-term strategy to:

“...offer a complete set of solutions with more leading-edge analog and mixed signal products that deliver value and innovation to the customers”.

The future of this will involve Renesas expanding its market presence and capitalising on growth opportunities within the IoT, automotive and industrial sectors. 

This could mean additional jobs available for skilled employees, particularly those with experience in those specific industries. 

3.  Maxim Integrated acquired by Analog Devices

This acquisition also took place in August of this year but was completed just before the Dialog Semiconductor PLc/Renesas Electronics Corporation acquisition. The Maxim Integrated acquisition was announced on the 26th.

What could the Maxim Integrated acquisition mean for the semiconductor job market?

With the aim of driving the next waves of analog semiconductor innovation, Analog Devices is now better positioned to do so, according to the company’s President and CEO, Vincent Roche:

“With more than 10,000 engineers and the increased breadth and depth of our best-in-class technologies, we are well-positioned to develop even more complete, cutting-edge solutions for our customers. Together, we will drive the next waves of analog semiconductor innovation, while engineering a healthier, safer and more sustainable future for all.”

While their press release didn’t mention job retention or the possibility of expanding job opportunities, it’s clear that sustainability will be at the forefront of their strategies. So anybody with experience in both semiconductors and sustainability may want to keep their eyes peeled.

Looking for your next semiconductor job?

If you’re keen to move or are considering looking for a new opportunity in the near future, the team at MRL can help. We’ve been recruiting for the semiconductor market for over twenty years and are in contact with some pretty big industry names looking for just the right person to join their team. 
Get in touch with our semiconductor recruiters to see how we can help you make your next career move.