Procurement Pro takes a look at the top news stories from February 2025.
Arm announces chip plans
Arm is set to launch its first-ever in-house developed chip this year, marking a significant departure from its traditional business model of licensing chip designs to other companies.
This move will see Arm directly competing with some of its largest customers, including NVIDIA, which builds its own chips based on Arm’s architecture.
Meta has been secured as one of the chip’s first customers, signalling a strong start for Arm’s new venture, the Financial Times reported.
Intel at a crossroads
Recent reports have indicated that Broadcom and TSMC are evaluating separate acquisitions of Intel’s divisions, potentially leading to a division of the company.
Broadcom is reportedly interested in Intel’s chip-design and marketing sectors, while TSMC is considering acquiring Intel’s manufacturing operations. These discussions are in preliminary stages and have not yet involved direct negotiations with Intel.
Infineon to receive funding under the EU Chips Act
The European Commission has approved funding under the European Chips Act for the Infineon Technologies Smart Power Fab in Dresden.
The official funding approval from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), which is responsible for the disbursement of EU Chips Act funding, is still pending and is expected within the next few months. Additionally, the Smart Power Fab is already receiving support under the European Commission’s IPCEI ME/CT (Important Project of Common European Interest on Microelectronics and Communication Technologies) innovation programme. The total funding for the Dresden site amounts to around €1 billion. Construction began in March 2023 and is progressing successfully. The Fab opening is planned for 2026.
ams OSRAM gets €227M for Austria semiconductor plant
ams OSRAM has been awarded €227 million under the European Chips Act to build a new semiconductor production site in Premstaetetten, Austria.
Official approval from the Austrian Ministry of Economy and Labour, which is responsible for the payment of the funding, is expected shortly.
In total, ams OSRAM plans to invest €567 million in the project by 2030, when full production will begin at the headquarters in Styria.
NVIDIA reports 78% growth
NVIDIA has announced its financial results for the fourth quarter, showcasing significant growth driven by heightened demand for its AI technologies.
The company’s robust performance is largely attributed to the successful production and sales of its Blackwell AI supercomputers.
