NXP announced that a new company, named IPDIA, has been created to re-industrialize the company’s Cote de Nacre facility (near Caen in Northwest France). IPDIA, who is supported by the French Ministry of Economy, Industry & Labor and local authorities, and from a capital investment of more than 5 million Euros raised by a consortium of investors including NXP, is purchasing some of the assets from the Cote de Nacre plant (IP, patents and equipment) and is hiring a portion of the staff. The initial staff will consist of 90 people, the majority of which will be recruited among NXP’s laid-off employees. IPDIA will be launched in June this year. IPDIA’s investors consist of the following companies Prime Technology Ventures, Emertec Gestion, Masseran Gestion, NCI Gestion, CEA Investissement together with the founding directors of the company and NXP.

IPDIA will focus on two main activities: the production of LED bases and integrated passive devices. IPDIA aims to transform the Cote de Nacre facility into a European center of excellence thanks to a unique 3D silicon fabrication process enabling the production of extremely small electronic components in response to the needs of the medical, energy, aerospace and defense markets. IPDIA has planned to enter into close R&D partnerships with CEA-LETI and CNRS-LAAS to strengthen its technological position.

Franck Murray, one of the founding directors, becomes CEO of IPDIA. He has more than 25 years of experience working in the semiconductor industry. A graduate from L’Ecole Centrale de Paris, he was most recently Director of Technology for NXP Semiconductors France. Franck won the prestigious General Ferrie Award in 2004 for his work on integrated passive components processes.