October 25, 2007 – In a bid to increase its manufacturing capacity for products used in handsets and analog devices, Skyworks Solutions Inc. says it has started converting its gallium arsenide heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) fab in Newbury Park, CA, from 4-in. to 6-in. wafers, and is expanding its work with Taiwan foundry partners.

The new capacity additions, driven by increased GaAs content/handset and growth in the company’s linear products portfolio, will require “no additional ‘bricks and mortar'” investments, meaning it’ll cost a lot less than building new standalone facilities. And working with foundries adds a “high degree of flexibility,” Bruce Freyman, Skyworks’ VP of worldwide operations, said in a statement.

“While we will continue to invest internally, our balanced approach is less capital intensive and more flexible, allowing us to meet customer demand without compromising gross margin or other key operating metrics,” he stated.