News

30 November 2009

 

JEMI France integrates with SEMI to create SEMI Europe – Grenoble Office

At the general assembly of JEMI France (the non-profit association of French semiconductor equipment and materials suppliers), members approved the modification of its statutes to integrate with SEMI, the global industry association serving the manufacturing supply chains for the microelectronic, display and photovoltaic industries. SEMI is headquartered in San Jose, CA, USA but has a SEMI Europe branch in Brussels, Belgium. The new French association, SEMI Europe – Grenoble Office, will fully integrate within the SEMI global structure.

The merger builds on the strengths of the two associations to promote the industry in southern Europe. With access to the European and global semiconductor industry, locating the new combined organization in France allows stronger ties with the region's major micro-electronics cluster in Grenoble, it is reckoned.

“What we are doing at the association level mirrors the current industry re-organization and the need to focus on efficiency and core value that we can provide to our members and customers,” says SEMI Europe president Heinz Kundert. “The need for European clusters to work closely together is critical in the face of global competition,” he adds.

“We welcome this synergy between JEMI France and SEMI Europe,” says Geneviève Fioraso, deputy mayor of Grenoble and president of SEM MINATEC Entreprises (which was was established in 2004 to offer offices, laboratories and cleanrooms to starts-ups or larger cooperative ventures focused on micro- and nanotechnology). “Europe must strongly advocate for the microelectronic sector because it is highly strategic, and drives innovation in the industry and service markets. This is what the US and Asia are doing,” he adds. “Grenoble, as the main microelectronic cluster in France — from R&D to industry with Minalogic, Minatec, Nano2012 and all organizations that represent this industry (15,000 direct jobs and three times more if we include induced jobs), with the skills and expertise available — has all due legitimacy to host the new organization,” Fioraso believes.

“The outstanding support from the city of Grenoble and the public authorities, the proactive cooperation of JEMI France and SEMI, and the choice of Grenoble where the semiconductor industry is highly clustered, have been instrumental for the success of this initiative,” comments Alain Astier, group VP at STMicroelectronics and a member of the SEMI European advisory board.

“JEMI France has already collaborated successfully with SEMI Europe for two decades,” says André-Jacques Auberton-Hervé, CEO of SOITEC (which manufactures engineered substrates) and a member of the SEMI International board of directors. “With similar interest in our respective memberships, the core competences within JEMI France and SEMI will be extended, bringing even more value to members,” he adds.

“Our board’s proposal to integrate JEMI France with SEMI was well received by our members,” reports JEMI France’s president Gaël Schmidt. “They recognised the benefits of the international reach of the global SEMI organization.”

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