Tower Semiconductor
An Israeli specialty semiconductor foundry focused on analog, mixed-signal, radio-frequency, sensor, power-management and silicon-photonics manufacturing.
Last updated October 7, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Tower Semiconductor is an Israeli pure-play semiconductor foundry that manufactures integrated circuits for fabless semiconductor companies, integrated device manufacturers and electronics companies. Rather than competing primarily on the newest mainstream digital logic nodes, Tower concentrates on specialty process technologies that support analog, mixed-signal, radio-frequency, power, sensing, imaging, silicon-photonics and microelectromechanical-system applications. Its process portfolio includes silicon-germanium and BiCMOS, RFCMOS, silicon-on-insulator, CMOS image sensors, non-imaging sensors, bipolar-CMOS-DMOS power technologies, non-volatile memory and MEMS capabilities. The company was established in 1993 and became publicly traded in 1994 on the Nasdaq Stock Market and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the symbol TSEM. Its principal base is in Migdal HaEmek, Israel, where its original manufacturing operations and a 200 mm facility are located. Tower expanded its manufacturing footprint through acquisitions, joint ventures and manufacturing alliances. In 2008 it acquired Jazz Semiconductor, a California specialty foundry, and the combined business adopted the TowerJazz name in 2009. The transaction gave Tower additional expertise in SiGe, BiCMOS, MEMS and specialized domestic manufacturing for aerospace and defense applications. Tower subsequently expanded in Japan, acquiring a Micron Technology fabrication facility in 2011. In 2014 it formed TowerJazz Panasonic Semiconductor Company, commonly known as TPSCo, with Panasonic. TPSCo operates manufacturing sites in Japan and develops and produces specialty processes including image sensors, power devices and high-frequency RF technologies. Tower holds a majority interest in TPSCo, while Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan is the other shareholder. The venture provides process options on both 200 mm and 300 mm wafers and serves both Panasonic-related and third-party demand. In 2016 Tower acquired an 8-inch facility in San Antonio, Texas, from Maxim Integrated Products. The purchase increased its available production capacity and strengthened its North American manufacturing network. Tower also operates a facility in Newport Beach, California, and participates in a 300 mm manufacturing operation at STMicroelectronics' Agrate Brianza site in Italy. The company maintains a worldwide design center in Netanya, Israel, alongside its manufacturing and technology-development activities. Tower's customers and technology partners have included companies such as onsemi, Intel, Broadcom, Panasonic, Teledyne, Samsung, InnoLight, Skyworks Solutions, Semtech and Vishay Siliconix, according to referenced company and encyclopedia material. Its silicon-photonics platform has also been used by companies developing optical communications and photonic devices. The business model emphasizes long-term process qualification, manufacturing continuity, specialized performance and the ability to support products that may remain in production for many years. The company returned to the Tower Semiconductor name across its worldwide subsidiaries in 2020. In 2022 Intel announced a proposed acquisition of Tower for $5.4 billion. The transaction required regulatory clearance and was not completed within the agreed period. Intel terminated the proposed acquisition in August 2023 after the required approval from Chinese regulators had not been obtained, and the termination involved a $353 million fee payable to Tower. Tower remained an independent, publicly traded specialty foundry after the termination.
History
Tower Semiconductor was founded in Israel in 1993 and became a public company in 1994, with its shares listed on Nasdaq and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under TSEM. The company developed from an Israeli wafer-manufacturing operation into a global specialty foundry by combining internal process development with acquisitions, joint ventures and manufacturing partnerships. An important early expansion was the construction of Fab 2, a 200 mm facility adjacent to Tower's original plant in Migdal HaEmek in 2001. The facility became a foundation for the company's analog and specialty manufacturing capacity. In 2008 Tower acquired Jazz Semiconductor, which operated a 200 mm fab in Newport Beach, California. Jazz had developed capabilities in SiGe, BiCMOS and MEMS and had a strong orientation toward specialized, domestic manufacturing, including aerospace and defense applications. The combined company adopted TowerJazz as its commercial identity in 2009. Tower expanded into Japan in 2011 through the acquisition of a Micron Technology fabrication facility in Nishiwaki, Hyogo. The transaction substantially increased internal manufacturing capacity. In 2014 Tower and Panasonic established TowerJazz Panasonic Semiconductor Company. The joint venture was intended to manufacture Panasonic products as well as products for outside customers and developed process technologies for image sensors, integrated power devices and radio-frequency applications. Tower later rationalized parts of its Japanese manufacturing activities, while TPSCo continued operating facilities in the Hokuriku region. In 2016 Tower acquired an 8-inch Maxim Integrated facility in San Antonio, Texas. The transaction broadened the company's United States manufacturing base and added further capacity for specialty products. Tower's facilities and partnerships subsequently covered Israel, California, Texas, Japan and Italy. In Italy, the company entered an arrangement with STMicroelectronics to use capacity at the 300 mm Agrate R3 facility in Agrate Brianza. Tower's manufacturing network also included its majority-owned TPSCo operations, which offer numerous qualified process flows on 200 mm and 300 mm wafers. The company also pursued expansion in China. In 2017 Tower announced that it had received an initial payment related to a proposed partnership with Tacoma (Nanjing) Semiconductor Technology to establish a wafer fabrication project in Nanjing. Tower was expected to contribute technical knowledge and project-management expertise, while Tacoma and local authorities were to support the project financially. The planned project did not develop as intended; Tacoma entered bankruptcy proceedings announced by a Chinese court in 2020. Tower announced a new global brand identity in March 2020 and returned to the Tower Semiconductor name. The rebranding brought the company and its worldwide subsidiaries under a single corporate identity after years of using TowerJazz as the principal commercial name. In 2021 Tower and STMicroelectronics announced an agreement concerning Tower's access to ST's Agrate R3 300 mm facility in Italy. The arrangement supported additional manufacturing capacity and the expansion of Tower's specialty process portfolio. Tower's business continued to focus on analog and mixed-signal technologies, RF, silicon photonics, sensors, power-management technologies, non-volatile memory and MEMS rather than leading-edge digital logic. Intel announced an agreement to acquire Tower Semiconductor on February 15, 2022. The proposed transaction was valued at $5.4 billion and was intended to strengthen Intel's foundry and specialty-process ambitions. Completion required regulatory approval in multiple jurisdictions. Approval from Chinese regulators was not obtained within the 18-month transaction period, and Intel terminated the agreement on August 16, 2023. The termination included a $353 million fee payable to Tower. Tower therefore remained an independent public company and continued operating its specialty foundry network.
- 2023
Intel acquisition terminated
[1]The proposed acquisition ends after required regulatory approval was not obtained within the transaction period.
- 2022
Intel acquisition agreement announced
[1]Intel announces a proposed $5.4 billion acquisition of Tower Semiconductor.
- 2021
Agreement concerning STMicroelectronics' Agrate facility
[1]Tower and STMicroelectronics announce an arrangement involving Tower's access to ST's 300 mm Agrate R3 fab in Italy.
- 2020
Global brand returns to Tower Semiconductor
[1]Tower introduces a company-wide identity using Tower Semiconductor as its official brand name.
- 2017
Nanjing fab partnership announced
[1]Tower announces a proposed partnership with Tacoma (Nanjing) Semiconductor Technology to develop a wafer fab project in China.
- 2016
San Antonio fab acquired
[1]TowerJazz acquires an 8-inch fabrication facility in San Antonio, Texas, from Maxim Integrated.
- 2014
TowerJazz Panasonic Semiconductor Company established
[1]Tower and Panasonic form TPSCo to manufacture Panasonic and third-party semiconductor products in Japan.
- 2011
Expansion into Japan
[1]TowerJazz acquires a Micron fabrication facility in Nishiwaki, Japan, expanding its internal manufacturing capacity.
- 2009
TowerJazz name introduced
[1]The combined Tower and Jazz business adopts the TowerJazz name.
- 2008
Acquisition of Jazz Semiconductor
[1]Tower acquires Jazz Semiconductor and gains additional United States specialty-foundry capabilities.
Products and positioning
A high-value specialty foundry serving analog, mixed-signal, RF, sensor, power, photonics and MEMS applications where process specialization, qualification, reliability and long product lifecycles are more important than leading-edge digital-logic density.
Foundry manufacturing
Analog and mixed-signal foundry services
Tower manufactures analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits for customers that need specialized process technologies, mature-node reliability and long-term production support. These services can combine analog functions with digital control, sensing, power or communications circuitry and are used across automotive, industrial, medical, consumer and communications applications.
Radio-frequency semiconductor manufacturing
RF and SiGe/BiCMOS technologies
Tower's RF portfolio includes silicon-germanium, BiCMOS and RFCMOS processes for high-frequency and mixed-signal applications. These technologies are intended for communications, optical networking, radar-related and other applications requiring combinations of RF performance, analog functionality and integrated control circuitry.
Photonic semiconductor manufacturing
Silicon photonics
Tower offers a qualified open-foundry silicon-photonics platform for manufacturing photonic and electro-optical devices. The platform is designed to help customers move optical communications and related photonic designs from development into repeatable wafer production.
Sensor semiconductor manufacturing
Image and non-imaging sensors
Tower and its TPSCo operations support CMOS image sensors, CCD-related processes and non-imaging sensor technologies. These capabilities are used where imaging quality, dynamic range, specialized sensing performance and process qualification are important requirements.
Power semiconductor manufacturing
Power-management technologies
The company's power portfolio includes BCD and related integrated-power technologies, as well as SOI and LDMOS options available through its manufacturing network. These processes support power-management, automotive, industrial and other applications that integrate control logic, analog circuitry and power devices.
MEMS manufacturing
MEMS and specialty sensors
Tower's specialty manufacturing capabilities include MEMS and sensor-related processes. The Newport Beach operation historically contributed MEMS expertise, complementing the company's broader analog, RF and sensor foundry portfolio.
Joint-venture foundry services · 2014
TPSCo manufacturing services
Tower holds a majority interest in TowerJazz Panasonic Semiconductor Company, which operates manufacturing facilities in Japan with Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan as the other shareholder. TPSCo offers more than 120 qualified process flows on 200 mm and 300 mm substrates, together with selected backend, assembly and test services.
Brand decisions
2023
Terminate Intel acquisition agreementM&ABackground
The proposed Intel transaction remained subject to regulatory approval, including approval from Chinese regulators, which was not obtained within the 18-month transaction deadline.
Action taken
Intel terminated the acquisition agreement in August 2023.
Aftermath
Tower remained an independent public company, and Intel paid a $353 million termination fee.
Termination fee. $353 million (August 2023 termination)
2022
Agree to Intel acquisitionM&ABackground
Intel proposed the acquisition as part of its expansion in foundry and specialty semiconductor manufacturing.
Action taken
Intel agreed to acquire Tower Semiconductor for $5.4 billion, subject to regulatory and other closing conditions.
Aftermath
The deal did not close because the required regulatory clearance was not obtained within the agreed period.
Proposed acquisition value. $5.4 billion (Announced February 15, 2022)
2020
Unify the global brand under Tower SemiconductorStrategyBackground
The company had used TowerJazz as its principal commercial identity after the Jazz Semiconductor combination.
Action taken
Tower introduced a new worldwide brand identity using Tower Semiconductor across its subsidiaries.
Aftermath
The company continued operating as a single specialty foundry brand.
2016
Acquire Maxim Integrated's San Antonio facilityM&ABackground
Tower sought additional 8-inch capacity for its specialty foundry business.
Action taken
Tower acquired the San Antonio, Texas, fabrication facility from Maxim Integrated in a transaction involving cash and Tower ordinary shares.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Tower's North American manufacturing footprint and reported production capacity.
Purchase consideration. $40 million plus approximately 3.3 million Tower ordinary shares (2016 transaction)
2014
Form TowerJazz Panasonic Semiconductor CompanyM&ABackground
Tower and Panasonic sought a joint manufacturing structure for Panasonic products and additional third-party semiconductor demand.
Action taken
The companies established TPSCo in Japan, with Tower holding a majority interest and Panasonic contributing manufacturing operations and customer-related activities.
Aftermath
TPSCo became an important part of Tower's Japanese manufacturing network, offering image-sensor, power and RF process technologies.
2008
Acquire Jazz SemiconductorM&ABackground
Tower sought to expand its specialty foundry capabilities and manufacturing presence in the United States.
Action taken
Tower acquired Jazz Semiconductor, including its Newport Beach manufacturing operation and related SiGe, BiCMOS and MEMS expertise.
Aftermath
The combined business adopted the TowerJazz name in 2009 and became a broader specialty foundry platform.
Recent events
Tower Semiconductor and New Photonics agree to high-volume shipment of laser-integrated optical engines[3]
Reported:
Tower Semiconductor and privately held New Photonics agreed to a high-volume shipment of laser-integrated optical engines designed to meet growing demand for high-bandwidth, energy-efficient optical interconnects in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Panasonic agrees to sell semiconductor business to Nuvoton[4]
Reported:
Panasonic said it had entered into a $250 million deal to sell its semiconductor business to Nuvoton Technology. The deal includes Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions, the unit’s intellectual property and Panasonic’s 49% stake in a joint venture operating three Japanese chip fabrication facilities.
Sources4 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/tower-semiconductor · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled