Nexperia 200mm Newport, UK fab sale to Vishay

Nexperia Newport, UK fab
“Our primary concern was for the employees at the Newport wafer fab and we are pleased that this sale has secured a future for both the employees and the site. The ATREG team exceeded our expectations in terms of timeline and key executive industry relationships. The highly competitive global process ATREG ran brought a broad array of qualified buyers to the table which resulted in the optimal outcome for our company, employees, and shareholders.”
Chief Financial Officer

Challenge

Dutch company Nexperia B.V. was asked by the British government to sell its operational automotive-qualified 200mm/150mm wafer fab based in Newport, South Wales, UK. The company needed to put the asset on the market to find a definite long-term sustainable solution for its employees, customers, and the site. The UK’s largest semiconductor manufacturing facility suppling primarily automotive markets, the Newport fab located on 28 acres has been a staple of the South Wales semiconductor ecosystem since 1982.

Solution

ATREG was engaged to conduct a comprehensive global campaign to market the Nexperia Newport fab which led to a highly competitive bidding process. Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. was the best match among numerous interested buyers for the facility. Headquartered in Malvern, PA, Vishay manufactures one of the world’s largest portfolios of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components that are essential to innovative designs in the automotive, industrial, computing, consumer, telecommunications, military, aerospace, and medical markets.

Business Result

• The Newport fab sold for a net purchase price of approx. $177 million in cash.
• Vishay will invest approx. $1.2 billion to set up and accelerate production for SiC Trench MOSFETs and diodes over a three-year period to position the company to seize the opportunities created by the megatrends of e-mobility and sustainability needed for a Net Zero economy.
• The positions of the fab’s highly skilled and dedicated employees will be safeguarded.
• Capacity expansion plans will particularly benefit Vishay’s customers in automotive and industrial end-markets as well as the UK’s strategic goal of improved supply chain resilience.
• Vishay will collaborate with the Compound Semiconductor Cluster in South Wales and join with key stakeholders committed to developing the semiconductor industry in the UK, including local university and community partners.