Wolfson Microelectronics

Wolfson Microelectronics was a British fabless semiconductor company headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded in 1984 by David Milne and Jim Reid, the company designed integrated circuits for signal processing, audio conversion, and other mixed-signal applications rather than manufacturing chips in its own fabrication plants. Its principal market was consumer electronics, where its components were used to support recording, playback, voice, communications, and enhanced audio functions. The company developed an international engineering, sales, and customer-support presence spanning Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United States. Its early commercial development included an agreement with Fujitsu, and it grew from a small Scottish technology venture into a publicly traded semiconductor supplier. Wolfson floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2003 and was included in the FTSE 250. Its Scottish academic and engineering connections were part of its identity: co-founder Jim Reid had studied electrical and electronic engineering at the University of Edinburgh, while David Milne directed the Wolfson Microelectronics Institute at the university's King's Buildings campus before the company was established. Wolfson became particularly visible through the spread of portable digital audio. Its codecs and related components appeared in products associated with Apple, Microsoft, Cowon, Sony, Palm, Logitech, and other consumer-electronics manufacturers. Applications mentioned in reference material include Apple iPod models, early iPhone and iPod touch devices, Microsoft's Zune players and Xbox, Sony's PlayStation Portable, Cowon's portable media players, the PalmOne Treo, and Logitech's Squeezebox Duet. Wolfson components were also used in selected smartphones, including Samsung and LG devices, and in products built around Nvidia Tegra 2 system-on-chip platforms. The company expanded beyond its established codec business through the 2007 acquisition of Sonaptic Ltd, a business formed from former Sensaura employees and focused on three-dimensional positional audio for mobile devices. It also pursued technology partnerships, including a 2010 licensing agreement with Tensilica intended to support a low-power, high-definition audio platform. These moves reflected an effort to broaden Wolfson's addressable market as audio processing moved into smartphones, mobile computing, gaming, and embedded systems. Leadership changed several times during the company's later independent period. David Milne stepped down from the chief executive role in 2007 and was succeeded by David Shrigley, a former Intel executive. Mike Hickey joined as chief executive designate in 2008 and became chief executive in January 2009. Andy Brannan joined as chief commercial officer in 2009 after senior commercial roles at Nokia and Symbian. Wolfson also marketed an audio expansion board for the Raspberry Pi Model B revision 2. Following the company's acquisition, the successor board for the Raspberry Pi Model B+ was renamed the Cirrus Logic Audio Card. Cirrus Logic agreed to acquire Wolfson in 2014 at 235 pence per share, valuing the transaction at approximately £291 million. The acquisition ended Wolfson's independent listed-company existence, and its technology and products were subsequently incorporated into Cirrus Logic's portfolio rather than continuing as a separate publicly traded company.

Wolfson Microelectronics was established in 1984 in Edinburgh by David Milne and Jim Reid. Both founders had links to the University of Edinburgh. Reid had earned a first-class degree in electrical and electronic engineering, while Milne had directed the Wolfson Microelectronics Institute at the university's King's Buildings site from 1973 to 1985. The company's name therefore reflected an established Scottish academic and engineering context as well as its commercial ambitions. Within its first year Wolfson had grown to approximately 20 employees and had secured a commercial agreement with Fujitsu. The business adopted a fabless semiconductor model, concentrating on the design and development of integrated circuits while relying on external manufacturing partners. Its principal technical focus was signal processing and mixed-signal semiconductor design, especially components used in audio recording and playback systems. During the following decades Wolfson built an international customer and operating base, with engineering and sales offices in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United States. The expansion of portable digital audio gave the company a significant route into consumer electronics. Its chipsets were used in products associated with Apple, Microsoft, Cowon, Sony, Palm, Logitech, and other manufacturers. Applications included portable media players, smartphones, gaming hardware, and home-networked audio products. Reference material identifies Wolfson components in several Apple iPod products, early versions of the iPhone and iPod touch, Microsoft's Zune players and Xbox, Sony's PlayStation Portable, Cowon's MP3 and portable media players, the PalmOne Treo, and Logitech's Squeezebox Duet. Wolfson's reputation was based on audio components designed to provide high-quality sound in compact consumer devices. The company also supplied components for selected Samsung and LG smartphones and for products using Nvidia Tegra 2 system-on-chip platforms. In 2007 it acquired Sonaptic Ltd, a business consisting of former Sensaura employees. Sonaptic's expertise in three-dimensional positional audio for mobile devices gave Wolfson a way to extend its technology and customer reach beyond conventional codec products. Wolfson became a public company in 2003 through a listing on the London Stock Exchange and was included in the FTSE 250. The company experienced several senior-management changes in the second half of the 2000s. Co-founder David Milne stepped down as chief executive in 2007 and was replaced by David Shrigley, previously a vice-president at Intel. Mike Hickey joined as chief executive designate in September 2008 and became chief executive on 1 January 2009. Andy Brannan joined as chief commercial officer in July 2009, bringing prior experience from Nokia and Symbian. The company continued to pursue platform partnerships as mobile and embedded audio markets developed. In April 2010 it signed a licensing agreement with Tensilica concerning a low-power, high-definition sound platform. Wolfson also produced an audio expansion board for the Raspberry Pi Model B revision 2. After Cirrus Logic acquired the company, the board intended for the Raspberry Pi Model B+ was marketed under the Cirrus Logic Audio Card name. Cirrus Logic announced an acquisition at 235 pence per Wolfson share in 2014. The transaction valued Wolfson at approximately £291 million. Completion of the deal ended Wolfson Microelectronics as an independent listed company. Its technologies and product activity were absorbed into Cirrus Logic, and the Wolfson brand was no longer maintained as a separate public semiconductor business.

• 2014

  Acquisition by Cirrus Logic

  [1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  Cirrus Logic agrees to acquire Wolfson for approximately £291 million at 235 pence per share.

• 2010

  Tensilica licensing agreement

  [1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  Wolfson signs an agreement with Tensilica connected with a low-power, high-definition audio platform.

• 2007

  Sonaptic acquisition

  [1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  Wolfson acquires Sonaptic to add three-dimensional positional-audio technology for mobile devices.

• 2003

  London Stock Exchange listing

  [1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  Wolfson becomes publicly traded in London and later joins the FTSE 250.

• 1985

  Early growth and Fujitsu agreement

  [1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  Within its first year Wolfson reaches about 20 employees and secures an agreement with Fujitsu.

• 1984

  Wolfson Microelectronics is founded

  [1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  David Milne and Jim Reid establish the Edinburgh-based fabless semiconductor company.

A high-quality audio and mixed-signal semiconductor supplier serving global consumer-electronics manufacturers.

• Audio integrated circuits

  Audio codecs

  Wolfson's audio codecs converted between analog and digital audio and supported recording, playback, and voice functions in compact consumer devices. They were used across portable media players, smartphones, gaming hardware, and other products where audio quality, low power consumption, and integration were important. The company's codec technology was associated with a number of Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Cowon, Samsung, LG, Palm, and Logitech products.

• Semiconductor components

  Signal-processing and mixed-signal chipsets

  Wolfson designed mixed-signal and signal-processing devices for consumer electronics. These components combined or supported analog and digital functions required by audio systems, helping manufacturers implement recording, playback, processing, and related functions in portable and embedded products. The company operated as a fabless designer and used external semiconductor manufacturing partners.

• Portable media electronics

  Portable digital-audio chipsets

  Wolfson chipsets appeared in portable digital-audio products including Apple's iPod family, Microsoft's Zune range, Cowon's MP3 and portable media players, and Sony's PlayStation Portable. The components helped these devices deliver digital audio playback and, in some cases, recording and additional sound-processing capabilities within battery-powered hardware.

• Embedded audio expansion hardware

  Wolfson Audio Card

  The Wolfson Audio Card was an audio expansion board for the Raspberry Pi Model B revision 2. It provided dedicated audio hardware for embedded and maker projects. After Wolfson was acquired by Cirrus Logic, the corresponding board for the Raspberry Pi Model B+ was renamed the Cirrus Logic Audio Card.

• 2014

  Accept Cirrus Logic acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Wolfson was operating in a competitive semiconductor market in which scale, product breadth, and access to customers were strategically important.

  Action taken

  Cirrus Logic acquired Wolfson at 235 pence per share in a transaction valued at approximately £291 million.

  Aftermath

  Wolfson ceased to operate as an independent listed company, and its products and technology were incorporated into Cirrus Logic's business.

  Transaction valuation. Approximately £291 million (2014 acquisition)

  Source

• 2010

  License technology from Tensilica for a low-power HD audio platformOther

  Background

  Wolfson was pursuing more integrated and power-efficient audio solutions for mobile and embedded applications.

  Action taken

  It signed a licensing agreement with Tensilica to create a low-power, high-definition sound platform.

  Aftermath

  The agreement formed part of Wolfson's platform-oriented strategy in the developing mobile-audio market; the available reference does not specify commercial results.

  Source

• 2007

  Acquire Sonaptic to expand mobile audio capabilitiesM&A

  Background

  Wolfson sought to broaden its audio technology and market reach as mobile devices became an increasingly important platform.

  Action taken

  The company acquired Sonaptic Ltd, whose business included former Sensaura employees and expertise in three-dimensional positional audio for mobile devices.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition added positional-audio capabilities to Wolfson's portfolio and supported its effort to extend beyond conventional audio codec products.

  Source

• 2014

  Cirrus Logic agrees to acquire Wolfson Microelectronics[1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Cirrus Logic agreed to acquire Wolfson at 235 pence per share, valuing the company at approximately £291 million and ending its independent corporate existence.

• 2010

  Wolfson signs audio-platform licensing agreement with Tensilica[1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Wolfson entered into a licensing agreement with Tensilica to develop a low-power, high-definition sound platform.

• 2009

  Mike Hickey becomes chief executive[1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Mike Hickey, who had joined as chief executive designate in 2008 after senior roles at Motorola, formally became chief executive in January 2009.

• 2007

  David Milne steps down as chief executive[1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Co-founder David Milne left the chief executive role and was replaced by David Shrigley, formerly a vice-president at Intel.

• 2007

  Wolfson acquires Sonaptic[1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Wolfson acquired Sonaptic, a company formed from former Sensaura employees and focused on three-dimensional positional audio for mobile devices.

• 2003

  Wolfson Microelectronics floats on the London Stock Exchange[1]Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Wolfson became a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange and was subsequently included in the FTSE 250.

1. 1Wolfson Microelectronicsen.wikipedia.org