EE Times: Semi News
Freescale establishes innovation center in India
K.C. Krishnadas
EE Times
(11/20/2007 12:21 $A EST)

BENGALURU, India ? Freescale Semiconductor, which has been designing chips and developing software in India since 1998, will next establish here an International Center of Excellence for Innovation.

Speaking at a company forum here, Joe Yiu, senior vice president and chairman of the chip maker's Asia-Pacific operations, said Freescale will also increase its engineering workforce here by another 1,500 over the next four years.

Freescale said it is also shifting more of R&D to India, beginning with its wireless business group, said Kai Wang, vice president of global sales and marketing and general manager. One reason is the growing popularity of broadband and wireless services here, Wang said.

The two Indian centers already contribute to Freescale's microcontroller, networking and communications and analog, sensors and RF units, and some of that development work will also be moved here, Wang said.

"While countries such as China, South Korea and Taiwan are focused on exports, India is focused more on its internal market. The volumes in this country are not as large as in those countries, but the demand is rising quickly," said Wang.

Freescale is also focused on India's automotive market, especially the two-wheeler segment where Freescale has ties to large Indian motorcycle manufacturers. It is also targeting the market for a propsed "People's Car" being promoted by industrial giant Tatas. The car is expected to cost around $2,500.

Freescale has engine, body and lighting controls, and is "watching this development closely," said Sanjeev Keskar, Freescale's country sales manager.

Industrial automation, energy metering, inverters for stand-by power and the basestation and carried-based equipment for the telecom market are also potential markets for Freescale, Keskar said, adding that product development close to the Indian market is a priority.