(AOF) – Grenoble INP – Phelma, UGA, the National School of Physics, Electronics, Materials, and Soitec have announced the signing of a partnership agreement, concluded for a period of 3 years. The purpose of this agreement is to strengthen the collaboration between the two entities by developing the study program in microelectronics. In particular, it will allow the support of the school’s students towards working life and the communication and promotion of recruitment actions.
Through this agreement, Soitec will contribute, among other things, to the integration of Phelma students and graduates by offering internship offers, job offers or VIE (International Volunteering in Business).
Soitec will also involve its experts in the curriculum of Phelma engineering students and will participate in career conferences through career amphitheatres (conferences on trades and career opportunities related to an industrial sector) for first-year students or conferences more transversal, more related to a particular societal issue and open to a wider audience.
Participation in conferences, attendance at third-year interview simulations and the School’s Partners’ Day are among the company’s major commitments.
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=/ Key points/=
– World leader with 2/3 of the market for the production of semiconductors using SOI technology (silicon wafers), recognized by all the major energy and electronics players and granting a virtual monopoly;
– Turnover of €584 million, split between sales of 200mm wafers for 50%, 300mm wafers for 46% and licenses for 4%;
– Business model based on 2 areas of expertise -Epitaxy and compound materials- serving 4 mass markets: smartphones, automotive, cloud and mobile telecommunications infrastructure and the Internet of Things;
– Three reference shareholders in the capital with each of the shares -BPI (11.49%), CEA Investissement and the Chinese NSIG Sunrise, Eric Meurice being chairman of the 12-member board of directors and Paul Boudre managing director;
– Solid balance sheet with €577 million in equity, €293 million in cash against net debt of €5.2 million, and reinforced by a sharp increase in free cash flow.
=/ Issues /=
– 2026 strategy aimed at tripling turnover and an operating margin of 35%;
– Innovation strategy with 2 unique technologies -Smart cut and Smart stacking- and 2 areas of expertise -epitaxy and composite materials- serving 4 mass markets: smartphones, automotive, cloud and mobile telecommunications infrastructure and IoT;
– R&D at 12% of turnover (39
th
patent applicant in France and 2
n/a
medium-sized companies with 3,500 patents),
– co-development partnerships with CEA, Leti or customers and suppliers;
– Environmental strategy included in the 2026 strategy:
– supply of energy efficient products;
– Balanced distribution of production sites (Bernin, Pasir Ris, Shanghai and Hasselt) limiting logistical risks;
– Ability to take advantage of the doubling of the SOI market by 2022, through internal growth and partnerships (Qualcomm and GlobalFoundries) and strong positions in the silicon wafer substrates essential for the deployment of cellular 4 and 5G, further strengthened by the acquisition from EpiGAN;
– Increased visibility through upstream association with the projects of semiconductor producers.
=/ Challenges /=
– “Early cyclical” profile because upstream of the production chain;
– Union’s response to the request by digital manufacturers for public investment aid, to reduce dependence on China;
– Waiting for launches in piezoelectric diversification, gallium nitride and silicon carbide and fallout from the MobiSIC project with Valeo and CEA-Leti;
– Impact of the pandemic: stable sales on 1
er
fiscal quarter ended March 31;
– Target, raised, 2021-2022: 45% increase in turnover of around €975 million and operating margin of 34% for the electronics business
Professional electronics: market under pressure
According to the WSTS (World Semiconductor Trade Statistics), the global semiconductor market is even expected to grow by 8.4% in 2021 for a market under extreme tension.
Excellent prospects
While demand is growing faster than global growth, supply is very limited. Three players dominate the sector (the Taiwanese TSMC, the American Intel and the Korean Samsung) whereas there were more than twenty in 2002. Analysts predict that there will be only two from 2023. The United States represent only 12% of world production according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. As for Europe, it weighs only 7%. It aims to produce 20% of semiconductors in the world by 2030. Sixteen countries, including France and Germany, will unite to develop production capacities.
TSMC (the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) is very well positioned to take advantage of the arrival of 5G and connected objects. “Founder”, it does not sell any chip under its brand, but produces the components on behalf of other players.