I did an analysis for myself about GF's future and whether I will stay or go that I would like to share. Thinking fab by fab here:
- Fab 1: Dresden 300mm fab. Nothing new being developed, 28BCDL on and off hold, 22FDX has limited customer base, TSMC opening fab locally, Bosch fab locally. Net - staffing will leave and demand at fab limited, will have issues staying loaded
- Fab 2: SGP 200mm fab. Nothing novel, UMC building new fab, employees leaving rapidly, loading already an issue, nothing in portfolio to fill fab. Net - loading and staffing will be an issue in future
- Fab 7/7H: SGP 300mm fab. Nothing novel, average at best BCD techs, engineering staff being depleted, long-term relationships with customers ending. Net - loading and staffing will be an issue in future
- Fab 8: Malta 300mm fab. 12LP technology lack of investment in technology features/competitiveness, no customer base, trying to fill fab with 45nm SiPh, 45RFSOI, etc ... Basically running 45nm wafers in 12nm fab, cost issues, staffing leaving. Net - loading and staffing will be an issue in future
- Fab 9: Vermont 200mm fab. Nothing novel, GaN tech still work in progress and not clear whether this will drive loading for fab. Old tools, key staffing left GF already, site is a mess many buildings should be bulldozed, huge overhead costs with vacant unused space. Net - loading, staffing and facilities costs will be major issues in future
- Fab 11: France fab w/ ST 300mm fab. 22FDX focus in fab. Not clear 22FDX demand will fill this fab when it isn't filling Fab 1. Net - many things unclear still, staffing unknown, loading will be a major issue. Suspect over time ST will buy this fab fully from GF.
When you look at this portfolio in detail and each fab, every employee should be concerned about the future of GF. There is nothing exciting and nothing major coming in the future which will change the loading at GF fabs, the low salaries and job outsourcing to low-cost geos will continue to drive attrition, the lack of novel technologies to work on will drive attrition. I see nothing positive in GF's future. As a current employee who is currently looking to change jobs after I did this analysis my decision to leave became very clear, GF's future is doom and gloom, and I don't want to be part of it. I'm curious to see if other's have done a similar analysis and draw a different conclusion, possibly I've missed something????