Austria Microsystems

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austriamicrosystems AG
austriamicrosystems site near Graz, Austria
Type	Public (SWX: AMS)
Founded	1981, Joint Venture of American Microsystems Inc (AMI) and VOEST Alpine AG
Headquarters	Unterpremstätten, Austria
Key people	John A. Heugle (CEO), Michael Wachsler-Markowitsch, (CFO)
Industry	Semiconductors
Products	Semiconductors, High Performance Analog ICs (Power Management, Mobile Entertainment, Audio circuits, Sensor & Sensor Interfaces, Interfaces, RF Products, Data Converters)
Employees	more than 1,000 (2008)
Website	www.austriamicrosystems.com

austriamicrosystems designs and manufactures high performance analog ICs (integrated circuits), combining more than 25 years of analog design capabilities and system know-how with its own manufacturing and test facilities. austriamicrosystems leverages its expertise in low power and high accuracy to provide customized and standard analog semiconductors, which include ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) and high performance standard product solutions. The company focuses on the areas of power management, sensors & sensor interfaces, portable audio and car access in its markets Communications, Industry & Medical and Automotive, complemented by its Full Service Foundry activities.

austriamicrosystems employs more than 1,000 people in Europe, America, Africa and Asia with product design and sales locations in Austria, Italy, Germany, France, Finland, Sweden, Great Britain, Switzerland, the U.S., South Africa, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, India and South Korea. Manufacturing facilities include a 200mm (8”) wafer fab in Austria and test centers in Austria and the Philippines. austriamicrosystems’ global network of distributors ensures full access to a broad spectrum of customers in key markets worldwide.

1 History
2 Executive Board
3 Management team
4 Leading edge products
5 Quality and environmental management
6 References
7 External links

History

Austria Mikro Systeme (AMS) was founded in August 1981 through a joint venture between American Microsystems Inc (AMI) and VOEST Alpine AG, based near Graz, Austria. In the year of 1989 the first overseas sales office opened in San Jose in the heart of Silicon Valley, California. The company value rises with the award of the specialist publication "Semiconductor International USA" as the "Top Fab of 1992" in Europe.

The next important step in the company history was in 1993 when austriamicrosystems became the first semiconductor manufacturer in Europe to go public, listed on Vienna Stock Exchange.

Furhtermore in 1998 the company played a role in NASA's "Deep Space 2" mission to Mars. Two chips, developed in conjunction with the aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, controlled all power supply to the space probe.

With the turn of the millenium the foundation stone for the new 200 mm wafer fab was laid which went into service after just 18 months of construction and during the same year two Design Centers were opened in Rapperswil Switzerland, and Pisa, Italy. In 2000 the company returned to private status with Permira Private Equity Fund as majority owner and became austriamicrosystems AG.

In the following year austriamicrosystems turned out to be the first Austrian company to fulfill 100 per cent of the regular audit requirements for quality standards QS 9000 and VDA 6.1. In addition, the technology and know-how transfer agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (TSMC), the world’s largest semiconductor foundry, allowed accelerated introduction of leading 0.35μm CMOS process and addition of special process modules.

In 2002, two new sales offices were created in Hongkong and Singapore, as well as the expansion of locations in Japan and the USA.

Further expansion of worldwide presence with new sales offices in South Korea, China, Finland and Sweden were taking place in 2003 and also a new Design center for multimedia playback applications was set up in Bangalore (India). Only European foundry ranked among Top Ten foundries worldwide in Silicon Strategies “Silicon Foundry of the Year 2003” report.

Since May 17, 2004 austriamicrosystems AG is listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange in Zurich.

During the last years, austriamicrosystems focuses on the areas of power management, sensors & sensor interfaces, portable audio and car access through its business units Communications, Industry & Medical, Automotive and Full Service Foundry.

Executive Board

John A. Heugle (CEO since 2002),

Michael Wachsler-Markowitsch (CFO since 2003)

Management team

Franz Faschinger (Head of Industry & Medical, Standard Linear)

Peter Gasteiner (Head of Communications)

Bernd Gessner (Head of Automotive)

Thomas Riener (Head of Full Service Foundry)

Carlo Rebughini (Head of Sales)

Walter Mente (VP Operations)

Engelbert Liebminger (VP Human Resources & Legal)

Moritz M. Gmeiner (Director IR/Corporate Communications)

Leading edge products

Power Management

Mobile Entertainment

Audio circuits

Sensor & Sensor Interfaces

Interfaces

RF Products

Data Converters

austriamicrosystems leverages its significant expertise in low power consumption and high accuracy to provide best-in-class products for communications, industrial, medical and automotive markets worldwide. The company presents solutions for mobile handsets, MP3 players, MEMS microphones, diagnostic imaging equipment such as CT scanners and digital Xray, diabetic blood glucose measurement, automotive safety systems such as ESP, solid state electricity meters, industrial and automotive sensor interfaces and a wide range of other applications.

Quality and environmental management

austriamicrosystems is committed to meeting the highest quality standards and has been certified according to TS16949:2002 and TS13485:2003 as well as ISO 9001:2000, QS 9000, VDA 6.1 and Ford's Q1 certification. These certifications make us one of the few semiconductor manufacturers worldwide to be fully automotive qualified. austriamicrosystems strives to be a leader in responsible environmental practices and was one of the first semiconductor manufacturers to be certified according to ISO 14001:1996 and the European EMAS scheme.