Until now, we have mainly observed how GlobalFoundries expands its production facilities and customer circle, demonstrating serious ambitions in the market of services for contract manufacturing of semiconductor products. Last week, some publications reported that GlobalFoundries not only begins to offer a number of employees early retirement, but also thinks about reductions among staff of a younger age.
As explained by "father of Zen architecture" Jim Keller, who after retiring from AMD joined GlobalFoundries, these measures are associated with a drop in demand for semiconductor products. According to him, some customers GlobalFoundries delayed placing orders for the company's facilities, and the number of employees will have to be reduced. These measures will affect all three GlobalFoundries in the United States. One of them in due time was built for the needs of AMD, the other two are inherited from IBM. If GlobalFoundries acquired in 2015 after a deal with IBM, an enterprise in Essex, Vermont, is preparing to cut administrative staff and information technology specialists, then in New York state, it could also reach operators of production lines. However, engineers and technicians should not suffer, as Keller assures. At least, they will not be asked to retire early.