Panasonic Completes Transfer of Its Semiconductor Business to Nuvoton

Panasonic Corporation, based in Osaka, Japan, recently confirmed that it has completed the previously announced transfer of its semiconductor business to Nuvoton Technology Corporation, a Taiwan-based semiconductor company under the umbrella of Winbond Electronics Corporation group, following the receipt of regulatory approvals.
 
Panasonic announced on November 28, 2019 the transfer of its semiconductor business mainly operated by Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. (PSCS). Panasonic and Nuvoton have since been collaboratively pursuing antitrust clearance and other customary regulatory approvals from the competent authorities, with a target effective date of June 1, 2020. However, the closing date was postponed due largely to the COVID-19-induced delay in clearance processes. Now the transaction is successfully completed with all the necessary approvals obtained.

The story of Panasonic Semiconductor starts in 1952, with the establishment of Matsushita Electronic Corp., a joint company of Matsushita Electric Industrial and Philips. Semiconductor production started in 1957. In 1993 the company terminated the joint venture with Philips and in 2001, merged with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., which then established the separate Semiconductor Company and later a Semiconductor Business Division, as part of Panasonic Corporation's Automotive & Industrial Systems Company. In 2014, Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. was established. 

Current products in the new Nuvoton company portfolio include all sorts of sensors, NFC tags and security ICs, audio integrated LSIs, battery sensing solutions, MOSFETs and power devices, 8-bit and 32-bit microprocessors, radio frequency devices, motor driver ICs, LED driver ICs and laser diodes.

Restructuring of the semiconductor business, announced along with the transfer, has already been completed prior to the transaction. Going forward, Panasonic remains committed to focusing on its B-to-B business. In the industrial solutions business, the company has identified “Automotive CASE,” “Information Network Infrastructure” and “Automation/Labor-savings” as three key areas of focus to deliver innovative products that meet the market needs and further develop the business globally. Following the completion of the transfer, PSCS will be renamed as Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan.
www.nuvoton.co.jp/en/
www.panasonic.com/global