TDK Acquires Faraday Semi LLC to Bolster Power Solutions

TDK Corporation (TSE: 6762) (President and CEO: Shigenao Ishiguro, hereinafter “TDK”) announced that today TDK acquired Faraday Semi LLC (CEO: Parviz Parto, hereinafter “Faraday Semi”), a U.S.-based venture-backed company engaged in the design of advanced power semiconductor ICs. Faraday Semi is now a wholly owned subsidiary of TDK.

Faraday Semi, based in California, USA, is a fast-growing semiconductor company with innovations in systems solutions focused on power management through DC-DC power conversion. Faraday Semi solutions incorporate high-performance semiconductors and passive components in advanced packaging technologies such as semiconductor embedded in substrate (SESUB) to achieve unique system integration in a smaller size and lower profile by 3D assembly. This integration allows TDK to deliver higher efficiency and ease of use at a lower total system cost to what is currently available today.

This results in the world’s smallest class of high power density Point of Load solutions (product brand: μPOL™). The continued popularization of “big data” usage is driving the rapidly increasing global demand for high density and highly efficient data center and reliable data storage, and these miniature devices provide high-performance solutions that meet the challenging requirements of modern digital ICs such as ASICs, FPGAs and CPUs. Their emphasis on high efficiency and thermal management makes these devices suitable for distributed power management systems including ICT and other applications.

This will enable TDK to deliver high-efficiency, high-performance, super-compact solutions catering to the evolving trend of miniaturized power solutions and their accompanying semiconductors. TDK is acquiring Faraday Semi in anticipation that these technologies will help to improve systems efficiency and reduce system costs for customers around the world, in ICT as well as in the industrial devices and automotive markets.

The following is an outline of the company profile:

1. Company name: Faraday Semi LLC
2. Location: California, USA
3. Established: November 2015
4. Founder and CEO: Parviz Parto
5. Main business operations: Development and design of Power Semiconductor ICs.

Terminology

μPOL™ : μPOL™ (micro point of load) is a DC - DC converter to be placed in the vicinity of complex ICs such as ASIC, FPGA etc. It is called Point of Load because it is placed in the vicinity, its abbreviation is called POL. By minimizing the distance between converter and IC, the resistance and the inductance components can be minimized, allowing fast response and accurate regulation with dynamic IC currents. (μPOL™ is a registered trademark of Faraday Semi LLC.)

About Faraday Semi LLC

Faraday Semi LLC (FS) is a leading designer and manufacturer of power management products for growing industrial, data center and automotive markets. FS objective is to develop, manufacture and market the highest integration power management products with the lowest total system cost solution for customers. The company is fully committed to quality products, integrity in business management, and a keen focus on customer needs.

With its extensive technical expertise in power management IC, its cell library, proprietary package technology and systems expertise, FS aims to become an industry leader in this growing market by offering a power solution for the 21st century.

About TDK Corporation

TDK Corporation is a leading electronics company based in Tokyo, Japan. It was established in 1935 to commercialize ferrite, a key material in electronic and magnetic products. TDK's portfolio features passive components such as ceramic, aluminum electrolytic and film capacitors, and magnetics, high-frequency, piezo and protection devices. The product spectrum also includes sensors and sensor systems such as temperature and pressure, magnetic, and MEMS sensors. In addition, TDK provides power supplies and energy devices, magnetic heads and more. These products are marketed under the product brands TDK, EPCOS, InvenSense, Micronas, Tronics and TDK-Lambda. TDK focuses on demanding markets in the areas of information and communication technology and automotive, industrial and consumer electronics. The company has a network of design and manufacturing locations and sales offices in Asia, Europe, and in North and South America. In fiscal 2018, TDK posted total sales of USD 12 billion and employed about 103,000 people worldwide.