Stuttgart (Germany): German conglomerate Bosch on Wednesday said it is acquiring US chipmaker TSI Semiconductors for $1.5 billion and converting its manufacturing facilities to state-of-the-art processes.
With the planned acquisition, Bosch will significantly expand its global portfolio of silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors by the end of 2030.
Starting in 2026, the first chips will be produced on 200-millimeter wafers based on the innovative material silicon carbide.
“With this planned investment in the US, we are also increasing our semiconductor manufacturing, globally,” said Bosch Chairman Dr. Stefan Hartung.
With a workforce of 250, TSI Semiconductors is a foundry for application-specific integrated circuits, or ASICs.
Currently, it mainly develops and produces large volumes of chips on 200-millimeter silicon wafers for applications in the mobility, telecommunications, energy, and life sciences industries.
At an early stage, Bosch invested in the development and production of SiC chips.
Since 2021, it has been using its own proprietary, highly complex processes to mass-produce them at its Reutlingen location near Stuttgart.
Demand for chips for the automotive industry remains high. By 2025, Bosch expects to have an average of 25 of its chips integrated in every new vehicle.
