GlobalFoundries (GF) Wiki

GlobalFoundries Inc. (GF) is a leading pure-play semiconductor foundry that manufactures feature-rich, mature, and specialty process nodes rather than pursuing cutting-edge logic like 3nm or 2nm. GF focuses on automotive, IoT, wireless, defense, aerospace, and RF communications, positioning itself as a critical global supplier in the diversified semiconductor value chain.

Headquartered in the United States and with multiple fabs worldwide, GF is known for its reliable long-life process nodes, commitment to U.S. and European sovereignty, and strategic importance to secure semiconductor supply chains.

Fast Facts

Item	Details
Name	GlobalFoundries Inc. (GF)
Founded	March 2009
Headquarters	Malta, New York, USA
CEO	Dr. Thomas Caulfield (since 2018)
Stock	NASDAQ: GFS (IPO in October 2021)
Employees	~15,000 (as of 2025)
2024 Revenue	$7.2 billion (est.)
Ownership	Majority-owned by Mubadala Investment Company (UAE sovereign wealth fund)

History

Year	Event
2009	Founded via spin-off from AMD’s manufacturing arm
2010	Acquired Chartered Semiconductor (Singapore)
2015	Acquired IBM Microelectronics (including East Fishkill fab and SOI technologies)
2018	Exited advanced node race (7nm and below); focused on feature-rich platforms
2021	Went public on the NASDAQ (Ticker: GFS)
2023–25	Announced capacity expansions in U.S., Singapore, and Germany

Foundry Strategy

GlobalFoundries operates a “More-than-Moore” strategy focused on application-optimized technologies rather than chasing raw transistor scaling. It emphasizes:

Mature nodes: 180nm, 130nm, 90nm, 55nm, 40nm
RF SOI & Silicon Photonics
FD-SOI (22FDX / 12FDX)
Embedded Non-Volatile Memory (eNVM)
Power Management (BCD, GaN)
Automotive-grade semiconductors
Secure and defense-grade semiconductors

Global Fab Footprint

🇺🇸 United States

Fab 8 – Malta, New York (300mm, 14/12nm FinFET, 22FDX)
Fab 9 – Essex Junction, Vermont (200mm, acquired from IBM)
Fab 10 – East Fishkill, New York (now sold to onsemi, but GF retains IP and technology rights)

🇸🇬 Singapore

Multiple 200mm and 300mm fabs focused on mixed-signal, RF, power, and NVM processes.

🇩🇪 Germany

Fab 1 – Dresden, 300mm site producing 22FDX and 40/28nm processes.

Future Expansion

Dresden MegaFab expansion (with EU funding)
Malta Fab 8.2 expansion (CHIPS Act-funded)
Continued investment in Singapore new 300mm fab module

Key Technologies

Platform	Description
22FDX/12FDX	Fully Depleted SOI – low power, low leakage for IoT and wireless
FinFET	14nm/12nm node for performance-sensitive products
RF SOI	Industry leader in RF switch and front-end module manufacturing
Auto & Power	Automotive-grade process reliability; BCD for power ICs
eNVM	Embedded flash and MRAM options for industrial and automotive
Secure Foundry	Trusted foundry certifications for U.S. DoD contracts

Business Focus

GlobalFoundries serves more than 200 customers, including:

Qualcomm (RF)
NXP (automotive & industrial)
Broadcom
General Motors
Lockheed Martin
Bosch
STMicroelectronics (for FD-SOI collaboration)

Applications include:

5G RF front ends
AIoT edge computing
Electric vehicle (EV) components
Secure aerospace & defense electronics
Industrial automation and robotics

Financial & Strategic Outlook

IPO (2021) raised $2.6B, giving GF a market cap of ~$30–40B as of 2025.
Received U.S. CHIPS Act incentives for Fab 8 expansion.
Key partner in U.S. and EU semiconductor sovereignty efforts.
Pledged carbon neutrality by 2050.

Leadership

Dr. Thomas Caulfield – CEO

Former head of Fab 8 operations
Prominent voice in global semiconductor policy discussions
Advocates “not every chip needs 3nm” philosophy

Challenges

Challenge	Details
Advanced Node Gap	No 7nm, 5nm, or 3nm offerings—less competitive in mobile & HPC
Customer Dependency	Relies heavily on automotive and RF verticals
Geopolitical Complexity	Navigates U.S., EU, and UAE interests in parallel
Talent Competition	Struggles to recruit leading-edge engineers from TSMC/Intel/Samsung

Summary

GlobalFoundries plays a unique and essential role in the semiconductor ecosystem by focusing on feature-rich, mature, and reliable process technologies. As governments diversify supply chains and prioritize semiconductor security, GF has become a strategic pillar in U.S. and European industrial policy—even without cutting-edge nodes.