5 October 2011

RFMD forms Compound Semiconductor Group

RF Micro Devices Inc of Greensboro, NC, USA has announced a strategic initiative to extend its compound semiconductor technologies into a broad array of adjacent non-RF growth markets. The initiative includes the formation of a Compound Semiconductor Group (CSG), which will operate alongside RFMD’s Cellular Products Group (CPG) and Multi-Market Products Group (MPG). RFMD forecasts that the total available market (TAM) for non-RF applications addressed by CSG will exceed $1.5bn in 2015.

CSG aims to create new high-power and high-performance products using the firm’s gallium nitride (GaN) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) process technologies. The group will encompass RFMD’s Power Electronics product line as well as the firm’s Foundry Services business unit. It will also include RFMD’s New Technology Commercialization Center (NTCC), with responsibility for new technology incubation, including the firm’s cooperative R&D agreement with the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) related to the commercialization of GaAs-based concentrated photovoltaic cells (CPV).

Bob Van Buskirk, currently president of RFMD’s Multi-Market Products Group, will lead the Compound Semiconductor Group. He was previously CEO & president of Sirenza Microdevices Inc (a supplier of RF components for communications applications), which was acquired by RFMD in November 2007. Prior to Sirenza, Van Buskirk held senior positions at Northrop Grumman (formerly TRW), including responsibility for commercializing its GaAs compound semiconductor technology and leading the development and growth of its compound semiconductor foundry business.

Norm Hilgendorf, currently RFMD’s VP of corporate development, will become corporate VP & president of the Multi-Market Products Group. He joined RFMD in November 2007 from Sirenza, where he was most recently chief operating officer. RFMD says that Hilgendorf has many years of senior management experience, including sales and general management, in multi-market organizations and in the wide range of end markets served by MPG.

“Bob is a recognized industry veteran in compound semiconductor technologies and he has consistently led his organizations to outstanding growth,” comments RFMD’s president & CEO Bob Bruggeworth. “Similarly, Norm Hilgendorf will hit the ground running, given his exceptional operational background and personal involvement in the strategic planning and corporate development for our multi-market organization,” he adds.

“The formation of RFMD’s Compound Semiconductor Group adds an incremental layer of new opportunities to energize our future growth without materially impacting operating expenses,” says Bruggeworth. “In our advanced technology organizations we have been exploring strategic opportunities to exploit our world-class compound semiconductor expertise and, with the formation of CSG, we have in place the leadership and organization to capture incremental, profitable revenue in high-growth non-RF markets,” he believes.

Tags: RFMD GaAs GaN

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