Semiconductors are the backbone of almost all of today’s technology, and Ireland has been a major player in this sector for nearly 50 years.
As the chip sector continues to grow, so too does the fierce competition for supremacy in the sector. From geopolitical challenges to talent shortages, semiconductors are a key focus around the world.
Ireland boasts a strong semiconductor industry, dating back to 1976 when Analog Devices founder Ray Stata decided to base his new manufacturing center in Limerick.
The late Maurice Whelan then founded Silicon & Software Systems (later known as S3 Group) in Dublin in 1986. This was quickly followed by Intel’s decision to establish a major manufacturing site in Leixlip in 1989. Fast forward to today, and Ireland is now home to 14 of the world’s top 30 semiconductor companies by sales.
Donal Travers, head of technology, consumer and business services at IDA Ireland, said the country’s long track record continued to make it an attractive location for chip investment.
“For Analog Devices, Ireland is a truly strategic home for the world leader in mixed-signal integrated circuits, which are embedded in the devices, cars and consumer electronics around us. Thanks to Intel, “Global leaders like AMD and Qualcomm have cutting-edge design activities, while Ireland is proud to have Europe’s most advanced high-volume semiconductor manufacturing facility at Fab 34.” spoke.
“A further sign of the strength of the sector is the continued acquisition pattern of innovative Irish start-ups.The roll call of acquirers is notable, including Arm, Intel and Oculus (Meta). All of which continue to increase the acquiring company’s presence in Ireland.
“Finally, we have important research centers at the university level, such as the Tyndall Institute, which has been responsible for several world-class innovations in its nearly 40-year history; IPIC (photonics) and AMBER (materials). Research Ireland Support Centers, such as , are also recognized for their research output and support for the research talent agenda.”
The Department for Business and Employment is currently finalizing a National Semiconductor Strategy that speaks to Ireland’s strengths and sets out the country’s ambitions in this sector.
Meanwhile, SiliconRepublic.com has profiled 14 of the top semiconductor companies that have set up shop in Ireland over the past 50 years.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)
The Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Ireland site, formerly operated by Xilinx, was established in 1994 with a focus on manufacturing, operational support, engineering and management services.
AMD will acquire Xilinx for $35 billion in 2022, making Ireland one of AMD’s largest R&D hubs in Europe. In 2023, the US semiconductor giant announced plans to invest up to $135 million in Ireland over four years and create approximately 300 new jobs there.
Analog Devices
Analog Devices was founded in 1965 and opened a factory in Ireland in 1976. This showed one of the early signs that Ireland could become a powerhouse in this industry.
Analog Devices employs more than 1,300 people at its manufacturing, design, and research and development campus in Limerick, Ireland. The company also has a design facility in Cork with over 100 engineers. The company has announced 600 new jobs at its Limerick facility in 2023 as part of a €630 million investment.
applied materials
Founded in 1967, Applied Materials provides equipment, services and software for semiconductor chip manufacturing. In Ireland, Applied has been active since the 1990s and currently operates from two locations near Dublin: Leixlip and Maynooth.
As well as being part of Ireland’s strong semiconductor ecosystem, the company has partnered with the SSPC Research Ireland Center for Pharmaceuticals to help develop materials engineering solutions that help solve key challenges in drug development. .
ASML
The Dutch company ASML is one of the semiconductor industry’s largest suppliers. Founded in the Netherlands in 1984, the company currently employs more than 42,000 people worldwide.
The company has developed technology to print tiny patterns on semiconductor silicon wafers and operates an outpost in Maynooth that serves Intel almost exclusively.
broadcom
US semiconductor giant Broadcom has had a large presence in Cork since acquiring VMware in 2023. The sale was one of the largest in technology history, valued at $69 billion.
However, although the company had around 1,000 Irish employees, most of whom were based in Cork, Broadcom’s VMware announced more than 360 job cuts at its Ballincollig site following the acquisition. did.
infineon
Infineon Technologies is Germany’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, spun out of Siemens in 1999. The company established a European customer logistics office in Dublin in 2003 and has since expanded its research and development footprint in both Dublin and Cork.
Last year, the company announced it would create more than 100 engineering jobs at both locations as part of its expansion, bringing its total domestic workforce to more than 300.
intel
Intel, one of the original powerhouses, established a wafer fab in Ireland in 1989. More than 30 years later, the company has invested around €30 billion in existing and planned funds for Ireland, and Leixlip remains an important hub for technology companies.
In 2022, the company announced investments across Europe, including Ireland, and in 2023, the Leixlip facility reached a key milestone with the commissioning of its “first full loop” of silicon. Last year, the company decided to sell a 49% stake in its Fab 34 chip factory in Leixlip to investment firm Apollo Global Management as part of an effort to expand its chip manufacturing facilities while retaining 51% control of the joint venture. Agreed.
KLA
Founded in the 1970s, KLA manufactures wafer fabrication equipment for the semiconductor industry and is headquartered in California with several offices around the world, including a base in Dublin with a focus on customer service engineering. Masu.
ram research
Lam Research is another wafer fabrication equipment supplier founded in 1980 by David K Lam, a former employee of Xerox, HP, and Texas Instruments. The company also invests in semiconductor startups through the Lam Capital Venture competition.
Lam Research has multiple locations around the world, including two locations in Ireland, one in Celbridge, County Kildare and one in Dublin.
microchip technology
Microchip Technology, an Arizona-based technology company, provides embedded control applications and semiconductors.
The company has been based in Ireland for almost 20 years, with offices in Cork, Clare and Dublin. In February 2021, the company announced it would invest $20 million in a new development center in Cork, creating 200 jobs. Specifically, we were looking for engineers in integrated circuit design and testing, hardware and software system design, and application development.
Qualcomm
California-based Qualcomm first established its Cork location in 2013. Since then, the company has invested significantly in its Irish footprint, including its subsidiary QT Technologies Ireland.
In 2020, Qualcomm announced plans to invest €78 million in the development of a research and development facility in Cork. The company said it currently employs several hundred people in the county. In 2023, the company will invest $127 million to expand its research and development facility in Cork City.
sound cicada
Onsemi, also known as ON Semiconductor, is an American sensor development company that acquired Cork-based startup SensL in 2018. SensL was involved in Ireland’s first satellite, EIRSAT-1, and established the Cork Design Center in 2004. Currently active under the name Onsemi. Onsemi also established the Limerick Design Center in 2008 prior to the acquisition of SensL.
Most recently, Onsemi engineers developed cutting-edge space technology and headed into space as part of the historic Proba-3 mission to uncover the secrets of the sun.
synopsis
Chip design software maker Synopsys, one of the world’s leaders in electronic design automation systems, recently received permission from the European Union to acquire software provider Ansys in a $35 billion deal.
The company boasts a strong engineering team in Ireland and is currently recruiting for UI Engineers, Digital Design Engineers and R&D Engineers.
telephone number
Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TEL) is a Japanese electronics and semiconductor company founded in 1963. The company is a supplier of semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing equipment.
The company’s subsidiary, Tokyo Electron Europe, acquired Dublin-based Magnetic Solutions in 2012, increasing its presence in Ireland.
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Updated January 21, 2025, 6:29 p.m.: This article has been corrected to correct an error in stating that Intel’s site in Leixlip was its first wafer fab outside the United States. In fact, the first wafer fab outside the United States was established in Jerusalem in 1985.
