SIA confident on regaining Intel, AMD

The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) is a non-profit service that publishes monthly reports about global IC sales that are distributed by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). After Intel Corp.'s withdrawal, and Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s (AMD) exit prior, WSTS data was deemed less reliable and valuable, while diluting the credibility of the SIA. This has caused anxiety among analysts, but the current administration is hopeful in turning things around.

When asked about the WSTS/SIA dilemma, Rich Beyer, Freescale Semiconductor CEO serving as SIA's chair this year, told EE Times, "We will fix it." Beyer was here this week attending the EE Times/EDN ACE Awards ceremony, where he received the Executive of the Year award.

SIA releases fab capacity report for the last time Industry reports are only as good as the proportion of the representation it gets. Looking at the current state of membership of SIA, future reports couldn't be helped but be viewed only with a skeptical eye, if not partial. Just last month, SIA said it would release its Semiconductor International Capacity Statistics report for the last time. Learn more about the reasons behind SIA"s decision.

Beyer said, "I already phoned Rory [Read, president and CEO of AMD], and we talked. Brian Toohey, president of SIA, meanwhile, called Intel." Beyer expressed confidence in SIA's ability to regain Intel's participation. Beyer also explained that AMD's decision to exit from the WSTS program was made "at a lower level," rather than originating with AMD top management.

Beyer, without naming names, also revealed that the SIA got a call from "a government agency," with instructions to correct the situation. Beyer explained that the last thing you want, if you are representing the SIA based in Washington D.C., is to get this sort of interference from the government.

Serving as SIA's new chair appears to be no vanity position. Beyer said, "I am expected to know everything, when I am asked questions while in the same room at the White House with the head of Commerce Dept., or Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. They expect SIA to have a single voice, and the SIA chairman is expected to be the voice."

- Junko Yoshida
??EE Times