PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL -- CEITEC S.A., a Brazilian company focused on the development and production of application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), announced the opening of Latin America's first IC design center. The company will add 60 engineers to its ranks who will design RFID, digital media and wireless communication chips for its fabrication facility now ramping up for production. The total investment by the Brazilian goverment is almost US$ 210 million.
The design center offers an advanced environment to enable CEITEC engineers to develop chips in a new facility located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The opening was attended by high-ranking officials in the Brazilian government.
"When a new facility is opened here, it is often a technology transfer but CEITEC S.A. is quite different," said Dilma Rousseff, Chief Minister of Brazil's Casa Civil. "The company is creating a center of excellence that is capable of generating its own technology. These are the first steps to see a new matrix of production in Rio Grande do Sul."
Newly appointed CEITEC president Eduard Weichselbaumer will lead the company's efforts developing market's for the company's chips in RFID, wireless communication and digital media markets.
"Over the years, many world-class semiconductor professionals have been trained by Brazil's Ministry of Science and Technology and it provides CEITEC with a highly-qualified workforce," Weichselbaumer said. "We hope to repatriate experienced Brazilian engineers to help us develop chips for CEITEC and attract the best talent from around the world to make our company an industry leader in microelectronics design and production." Brazil Minister of Science and Technology, Sergio Rezende, said the CEITEC S.A. design center is strategic for the development of the Brazilian economy.
"The opening of this facility represents another step in Brazil's return to the microelectronics industry," Rezende said. "The company is now in the process of installing equipment at its fabrication plant in Porto Alegre and the goal is to begin chip production by the end of the year."
About CEITEC S.A.
CEITEC S.A. is a Brazilian company focused in the development and production of application specific integrated circuits (ASICS) for RFID, Wireless Communications and Digital Multimedia market segments. The company's design center, located in Porto Alegre, will develop chips that perform a strategic role for Brazil's microelectronics industry. The company's adjoining factory, now in the final stage of assembly and certification, is the first and only facility of its kind in Latin America to produce chips. CEITEC S.A. has a mission to place Brazil among the world leaders in advanced microelectronics. Visit the company website at www.ceitec-sa.com.