GlobalFoundries

Corporate brand

A multinational semiconductor foundry manufacturing differentiated and specialty chips for automotive, communications, industrial, consumer, aerospace, and defense customers.

Last updated October 17, 2026

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Overview

GlobalFoundries Inc. is a multinational semiconductor technology company focused on contract manufacturing and process technology development. Unlike integrated device manufacturers that primarily produce their own branded chips, GlobalFoundries manufactures wafers designed by other companies. Its customers use the company’s processes to produce chips for automotive systems, wireless and wired communications, data-center infrastructure, consumer electronics, industrial equipment, aerospace, defense, and the Internet of Things. The company was formed in 2009 through the separation of Advanced Micro Devices’ manufacturing operations. The transaction was backed by Mubadala Investment Company of the United Arab Emirates through its semiconductor investment subsidiary, which became the principal owner. GlobalFoundries initially inherited AMD’s Dresden, Germany manufacturing operation and developed new capacity in the United States, while also acquiring Chartered Semiconductor in Singapore. It later acquired IBM’s microelectronics business, adding process technology, manufacturing assets, intellectual property, and engineering capabilities. GlobalFoundries operates a differentiated-foundry model. Rather than attempting to compete across every leading-edge process generation, it concentrates on technologies that combine performance, power efficiency, reliability, embedded memory, radio-frequency capability, analog and mixed-signal functions, high-voltage operation, and long product lifecycles. Its technology portfolio has included bulk CMOS, silicon-on-insulator processes, fully depleted SOI, radio-frequency platforms, automotive and power-management technologies, and embedded non-volatile memory. The company’s products are sold as manufacturing services and process platforms rather than as consumer devices bearing the GF name. The company operates fabrication facilities in Dresden, Germany; Singapore; Malta, New York; and Essex Junction, Vermont. It has also maintained research, design-enablement, packaging, customer-support, and technology-development activities across several regions. Its geographic footprint gives it a position in the United States, the European Union, and Singapore, and supports customers seeking supply-chain diversification and trusted or secure manufacturing. GlobalFoundries is designated as a trusted supplier for parts of the United States government and participates in security and assurance programs in other jurisdictions. GlobalFoundries halted development of its planned 7-nanometer process in 2018, citing the cost and complexity of competing at the frontier of semiconductor scaling. The decision led to a strategic emphasis on specialty and mature-node technologies, including platforms where customers value reliability, long-term availability, embedded functions, and regional manufacturing. AMD subsequently moved production of its most advanced compute chiplets to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company while continuing to source certain products from GlobalFoundries. The company became publicly traded on Nasdaq in October 2021. Mubadala remained its controlling shareholder after the offering. In the 2020s, GlobalFoundries expanded its role in automotive and strategic semiconductor supply chains through agreements with General Motors and the U.S. Department of Defense, and it became a major recipient of support associated with the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act. Its current positioning combines specialty manufacturing, supply-chain resilience, trusted production, and long-term capacity commitments rather than a claim to leadership in the smallest commercial process node.

History

GlobalFoundries originated in AMD’s 2008 plan to separate semiconductor manufacturing from its largely fabless processor business. AMD and Mubadala’s Advanced Technology Investment Company structured a new manufacturing company, initially known as The Foundry Company, with AMD contributing manufacturing assets and Mubadala providing capital and assuming related obligations. GlobalFoundries was formally announced in March 2009. The new company inherited AMD’s major Dresden operation and began building a broader international footprint. In 2009, Mubadala’s semiconductor subsidiary agreed to acquire Chartered Semiconductor of Singapore, and the integration was completed in early 2010. Chartered added established foundry operations, customer relationships, and process capabilities. AMD gradually reduced its ownership and completed the divestiture of its remaining stake in 2012, leaving Mubadala as the dominant owner. GlobalFoundries expanded in the United States through construction of Fab 8 at the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Saratoga County, New York. The 300-millimeter facility began volume production in 2012 and became a central site for AMD-related manufacturing and later specialty-process investment. The company also operated or inherited facilities in Vermont and acquired IBM’s microelectronics business in 2014. The IBM transaction added manufacturing sites, engineering expertise, intellectual property, and specialty technologies, although some assets were subsequently sold or transferred as GlobalFoundries refined its portfolio. During the middle of the 2010s, the company pursued both advanced and differentiated process development. It licensed Samsung’s 14-nanometer FinFET technology and later developed a 12-nanometer platform derived from that process family. It also invested in fully depleted silicon-on-insulator, radio-frequency, embedded-memory, and other specialty technologies. In 2018, however, GlobalFoundries stopped development of its planned 7-nanometer process. Management concluded that the expense of competing at the leading edge was inconsistent with the company’s resources and strategic priorities. The shift redirected attention toward platforms with strong demand and less direct competition from the largest leading-edge foundries. The strategic change affected AMD’s product roadmap. AMD continued to purchase selected wafer products from GlobalFoundries under amended supply arrangements, but shifted manufacturing of its 7-nanometer compute chiplets to TSMC. GlobalFoundries retained an important role in manufacturing certain input/output dies and other products at more mature nodes. From 2019 onward, the company simplified its portfolio and disposed of selected assets. It sold or transferred Singapore’s Fab 3E to Vanguard International Semiconductor, sold Fab 10 in East Fishkill, New York, to ON Semiconductor, and transferred its Burlington photomask operation to Toppan Photomasks. These transactions reflected an effort to concentrate capital on core foundry platforms. In 2020, GlobalFoundries announced production readiness for embedded magnetoresistive RAM, presenting it as an important embedded-memory milestone. GlobalFoundries became a public company in October 2021 through a Nasdaq IPO. Its offering raised approximately $2.6 billion, and Mubadala continued to hold a controlling interest. The company also moved its global headquarters from Santa Clara, California, to its Malta, New York campus in 2021. In the 2020s, semiconductor shortages, geopolitical risk, and government industrial policy increased demand for geographically diversified production. GlobalFoundries entered a supply agreement with General Motors, expanded cooperation with government customers, and received a planned U.S. CHIPS Act award to increase domestic capacity. A separate Department of Defense contract supported secure production for aerospace and defense applications. The company has also participated in open-source process-design initiatives with Google and maintained a role in trusted-foundry programs. GlobalFoundries’ present identity is therefore shaped less by pursuit of the smallest process node than by specialty manufacturing, regional capacity, security assurances, automotive and industrial reliability, RF and analog expertise, and long-term customer supply. Its facilities in the United States, Germany, and Singapore form the basis of a multinational foundry network serving customers that require qualified processes and resilient production over extended product lifecycles.

2024
CHIPS Act funding announced
[3]U.S. Department of Commercecommerce.gov
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a planned $1.5 billion award supporting GlobalFoundries’ domestic expansion.
2023
General Motors supply agreement
[5]General Motors supply agreementglobalfoundries.com
The companies announced an agreement for GlobalFoundries to provide specified U.S.-made semiconductor production for GM.
2023
Defense supply contract
[4]U.S. Department of Defense contract announcementsdefense.gov
The U.S. Department of Defense announced a long-term secure semiconductor supply arrangement with GlobalFoundries.
2021
Headquarters moves to Malta, New York
[1]GlobalFoundriesen.wikipedia.org
The company transferred its global headquarters to its New York manufacturing campus.
2021
Nasdaq IPO
[1]GlobalFoundriesen.wikipedia.org
GlobalFoundries completed its initial public offering at $47 per share and raised approximately $2.6 billion.
2020
Embedded MRAM enters production
[1]GlobalFoundriesen.wikipedia.org
GlobalFoundries announced production readiness for embedded magnetoresistive non-volatile memory.
2019
Patent dispute with TSMC resolved
[1]GlobalFoundriesen.wikipedia.org
GlobalFoundries and TSMC settled reciprocal patent litigation through a broad cross-license.
2018
7-nanometer development suspended
[1]GlobalFoundriesen.wikipedia.org
The company discontinued its planned 7LP process and redirected investment toward differentiated specialty technologies.
2014
IBM microelectronics transaction
[1]GlobalFoundriesen.wikipedia.org
GlobalFoundries agreed to acquire IBM’s microelectronics business and associated manufacturing and technology assets.
2012
AMD exits ownership
[1]GlobalFoundriesen.wikipedia.org
AMD sold its final ownership interest, completing the separation of its manufacturing arm.
2010
Chartered integration completed
[1]GlobalFoundriesen.wikipedia.org
GlobalFoundries completed the integration of Chartered Semiconductor’s operations.
2009
GlobalFoundries is formally established
[1]GlobalFoundriesen.wikipedia.org
The company was created through the separation of AMD’s semiconductor manufacturing operations with investment and support from Mubadala’s semiconductor investment interests.
2009
Chartered Semiconductor acquisition announced
[1]GlobalFoundriesen.wikipedia.org
Mubadala announced the acquisition of Singapore-based Chartered Semiconductor for integration into GlobalFoundries.

Products and positioning

A global specialty and differentiated semiconductor foundry emphasizing resilient supply, long product lifecycles, RF, analog, embedded memory, FD-SOI, automotive, industrial, and trusted manufacturing capabilities.

FD-SOI process platform
GF FDX
GF FDX is GlobalFoundries’ family of fully depleted silicon-on-insulator technologies. The platform is designed for applications requiring a balance of energy efficiency, radio-frequency performance, cost, and long product life. It is used for selected mobile, connectivity, industrial, and consumer designs where customers may prefer a differentiated process over the most advanced FinFET node.
Radio-frequency semiconductor platform
RF SOI
GlobalFoundries’ RF SOI technologies support radio-frequency front-end components and connectivity functions used in smartphones, wireless infrastructure, automotive systems, and other communications equipment. The processes are intended to combine switching performance, isolation, integration, and manufacturing maturity.
CMOS process technology · 2018
12LP
12LP is a 12-nanometer low-power platform developed from the company’s licensed 14-nanometer technology base. It was positioned for performance-sensitive designs that did not require the economics or risk profile of the newest leading-edge processes.
Embedded memory · 2020
Embedded MRAM
GlobalFoundries’ embedded magnetoresistive RAM technology is designed to place non-volatile memory on the same chip or process platform as logic. It targets applications where fast, durable, and persistent embedded memory can reduce dependence on separate memory components.
Secure foundry services
Trusted and secure manufacturing
GlobalFoundries provides qualified manufacturing and design-support capabilities for government and strategic customers requiring secure, trusted, or geographically controlled semiconductor production. These services support aerospace, defense, infrastructure, and other sensitive applications.

Controversies

2024
Penalty for unlicensed shipments to a sanctioned entity
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a $500,000 penalty concerning unlicensed shipments of products valued at approximately $17 million to an entity associated with Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation. The matter involved U.S. export-control compliance.
Source
2021
IBM sues GlobalFoundries over chip-process technology agreement
IBM sued GlobalFoundries, alleging that it failed to deliver the agreed 10nm or replacement 7nm process technology. GlobalFoundries disputed IBM’s allegations and argued that the suit sought an unjustified $2.5 billion payment.
Source
2019
TSMC files patent infringement lawsuits against GlobalFoundries
TSMC filed multiple lawsuits against GlobalFoundries in the United States, Germany and Singapore, alleging that several semiconductor process nodes infringed 25 TSMC patents. In the filings, TSMC sought injunctions and monetary damages. The dispute concerns patent infringement claims over semiconductor process technology across three jurisdictions.
Source

2022Open-source process design collaboration with Google
Global · Open-source chip design
GlobalFoundries partnered with Google on an open-source process design kit based on a 180-nanometer platform. Google also announced support for no-cost multi-project wafer shuttle runs, lowering barriers for researchers and open-source chip designers.
Outcome. Expanded access to foundry design resources and prototyping.
Source
2022Special Olympics Vermont Penguin Plunge sponsorship
United States · Vermont
GlobalFoundries sponsored the Special Olympics Vermont Penguin Plunge, an employee and community fundraising event that generated more than $500,000 for Vermont athletes according to the cited reference material.
Outcome. Community fundraising and employee engagement.
Source

Brand decisions

2023
Secure domestic supply expansionStrategy
Background
Automotive, defense, and infrastructure customers sought more resilient and geographically diversified semiconductor supply.
Action taken
GlobalFoundries entered a strategic supply agreement with General Motors and accepted a long-term U.S. defense supply framework.
Aftermath
The company strengthened its role as a U.S.-based supplier for automotive and sensitive government applications.
Source
2021
Complete initial public offeringOther
Background
GlobalFoundries sought public-market capital while Mubadala retained control.
Action taken
The company listed on Nasdaq in October 2021 at $47 per share.
Aftermath
The offering raised approximately $2.6 billion and established GlobalFoundries as a publicly traded company.
IPO proceeds. approximately 2.6 billion USD (October 2021)
Source
2019
Sell selected manufacturing and photomask assetsM&A
Background
GlobalFoundries reviewed its portfolio after shifting away from certain MEMS and non-core activities.
Action taken
The company announced transactions involving Fab 3E in Singapore, Fab 10 in New York, and its Burlington photomask facility.
Aftermath
The transactions concentrated the company on its core foundry and specialty-process operations.
Fab 3E transaction value. 236 million USD (2019)
Source
2018
End 7-nanometer process developmentStrategy
Background
GlobalFoundries determined that the cost and technical demands of competing at the leading edge were not aligned with its resources and market strategy.
Action taken
The company suspended its 7LP development and redirected research and capital toward specialty, RF, FD-SOI, embedded-memory, and other differentiated technologies.
Aftermath
AMD moved production of its 7-nanometer compute chiplets to TSMC while retaining selected wafer sourcing from GlobalFoundries.
Source

Recent events

Unconfirmed
Trump administration to partner with GlobalFoundries on new semiconductor plant[10]特朗普政府将与GlobalFoundries合作建设新半导体工厂news.google.com
Reported: 2026-10-15
According to a Yahoo Finance report, the Trump administration will partner with GlobalFoundries in a new semiconductor plant.
Unconfirmed
GlobalFoundries files confidentially for IPO[11]格芯秘密提交首次公开募股申请datacenterdynamics.com
Reported: 2026-10-15
GlobalFoundries filed confidentially with US regulators for an initial public offering in New York. The article reports that the IPO could value the chipmaker at around $25 billion.
Unconfirmed
Trump administration doubles its equity stake in GlobalFoundries[10]特朗普政府将与GlobalFoundries合作建设新半导体工厂news.google.com
Reported: 2026-10-15
According to a Yahoo Finance report, the Trump administration is doubling its equity stake in GlobalFoundries.
2026-10-09
GlobalFoundries unveils FDX Fusion FD-SOI platform roadmap for Physical AI[12]GlobalFoundries发布面向物理AI的FDX Fusion FD-SOI平台路线图finanznachrichten.de
Reported: 2026-10-09
GlobalFoundries (GF) unveiled plans for its new FDX Fusion FD-SOI platform, purpose-built for Physical AI workloads. The company plans to commence manufacturing the technology in 2028 at its Dresden facility in Germany, with demonstrator silicon targeted for early customer evaluation in early 2027 and an initial process design kit (PDK) release planned for mid-2027.
2026-01-02
Cloudberry launches Europe's first semiconductor venture fund with €30m initial close[13]Cloudberry 推出欧洲首只半导体风险基金，首轮募集 3000 万欧元semiconductor-today.com
Helsinki- and London-based venture capital firm Cloudberry launched Europe's first semiconductor venture fund with an initial close of €30m. The fund is anchored by Finnish state-owned investment company Tesi and supported by international LPs including GlobalFoundries and Radiant OptoElectronics, with 85% of capital secured from outside Finland. Cloudberry plans to invest up to €1m in pre-seed and seed rounds in up to 20 companies across Europe focused on semiconductors, photonics and advanced materials.
2021-11-18
Ford and GlobalFoundries announce strategic partnership[14]Ford与GlobalFoundries宣布战略合作wxyz.com
Reported: 2021-11-18
Ford and GlobalFoundries announced a nonbinding agreement for a strategic partnership aimed at increasing the supply of chips to Ford from GlobalFoundries.
2021-11-01
GlobalFoundries closes initial public offering[15]GlobalFoundries完成首次公开募股prnewswire.com
Reported: 2021-11-01
GlobalFoundries announced the closing of its initial public offering of 55 million ordinary shares at $47 per share; its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under ticker GFS.
2021-10-19
GlobalFoundries announces IPO launch[16]格芯宣布启动首次公开募股prnewswire.com
Reported: 2021-10-19
GlobalFoundries announced the commencement of an initial public offering of 55 million ordinary shares and said it had applied to list its shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker GFS.
2021-07-20
GlobalFoundries announces planned capacity expansion investment[17]格罗方德宣布扩产投资计划bnext.com.tw
Reported: 2021-07-20
GlobalFoundries said it plans to invest in its existing Fab 8 facility and build a new foundry at the same campus, with the stated aim of increasing capacity to address the global chip shortage.
Unconfirmed
IBM sues GlobalFoundries over chip-process technology agreement[9]IBM sues GlobalFoundries over chip-process technology agreementextremetech.com
Reported: 2021-06-11
IBM sued GlobalFoundries, alleging that it failed to deliver the agreed 10nm or replacement 7nm process technology. GlobalFoundries disputed IBM’s allegations and argued that the suit sought an unjustified $2.5 billion payment.

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