imported>Keith D: Change {{EngvarB}} to {{use British English}}

2025-04-06T20:19:42Z

Change {{EngvarB}} to {{use British English}}

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{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Inmos microprocessor factory
| image = Newport Wafer Fab (former Inmos factory)-geograph-6238475-by-Jaggery (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt = 
| image_caption = The microprocessor factory in 2019 when it was owned by Newport Wafer Fab
| coordinates = {{coord|51|33|57|N|3|01|21|W|type:landmark_region:GB-NWP|display=inline,title}}
| architectural_style = [[High-tech architecture|High-tech]]
| location = [[Newport, Wales|Newport]]
| address = Cardiff Road
| location_country = Wales
| grid_name =
| grid_position =
| altitude =
| current_tenants =
| namesake =
| groundbreaking_date =
| start_date = 1980
| stop_date =
| topped_out_date =
| completion_date = 1982
| opened_date =
| inauguration_date =
| relocated_date =
| renovation_date =
| closing_date =
| demolition_date = 
| cost =
| ren_cost =
| client =
| owner = [[Vishay Intertechnology]]
| landlord = 
| size = 8,900 m²
| floor_count = 1 (factory area)
| floor_area =
| elevator_count =
| architect = Project Architects: David Bartlett Pierre Botschi [[Mike Davies (architect)|Mike Davies]] Sally Eaton Michael Elkan [[Marco Goldschmied]] Kunimi Hayashi Tim Inskip Julia Marks Peter McMunn [[Richard Rogers]] John Young
| architecture_firm = [[Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners|Richard Rogers Partnership]]
| developer =
| engineer =
| structural_engineer = [[Anthony Hunt Associates]]
| services_engineer = [[RMJM|YRM Engineers]]
| civil_engineer =
| other_designers =
| quantity_surveyor = [[Hanscomb|G A Hanscomb]]
| main_contractor = [[Laing O'Rourke|Laing Construction]]
| awards = *Structural Steel Design Award 1982<ref name="1-1">{{cite web|title=Structural Steel Design Awards 1969 - 2011|url=https://steelconstruction.info/SSDA_2018_-_50th_Anniversary_Year|website=Steel Construction Info|access-date=2022-05-08}}</ref>
*Eurostructpress Award 1983
*[[Financial Times]] Architecture at Work Award Commendation 1983
*Constructa-Preis for Overall Excellence in the Field of Architecture 1986
| designations =
| known_for =
| website = 
| embed =
| embedded =
| references =
| footnotes =
}}

The '''Inmos microprocessor factory''', also known as the '''Inmos factory''', previously known as '''Newport Wafer Fab''',<ref name="reg">{{Cite news |last=Sharwood |first=Simon |date=2022-11-17 |title=UK forces China company to offload Newport Wafer Fab |language=en |url=https://www.theregister.com/2022/11/17/uk_forces_newport_fab_sale/ |access-date=2022-11-20}}</ref> now known as '''Nexperia Newport''',<ref name="NexNew">{{Cite news |last=Barry|first=Sion|date=2023-11-17 |website=www.business-live.co.uk| title=Nexperia appoint advisers to look at possible sale of its Newport microchip factory|language=en |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/technology/nexperia-appoint-advisers-look-possible-26775913 |access-date=2023-05-02}}</ref> is a [[semiconductor fabrication plant]] for [[Inmos]] built in [[Newport, Wales|Newport]], [[Wales]], UK in 1980. It has gone through numerous changes in ownership. Since March 2024, the factory has been owned by [[Vishay Intertechnology]].

The architects of the award-winning [[High-tech architecture|high-tech]] building were the [[Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners|Richard Rogers Partnership]] and the factory was the first building in Wales which [[Richard Rogers]] designed.<ref name="Richard">{{cite web|url= http://www.rsh-p.com/render.aspx?siteID=1&navIDs=1,4,25&sortby=_startDate&sortDir=asc|publisher= Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners|title= All Projects|accessdate= 17 September 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090323013632/http://www.rsh-p.com/render.aspx?siteID=1&navIDs=1,4,25&sortby=_startDate&sortDir=asc|archive-date= 23 March 2009|url-status= dead|df= dmy-all}}</ref>

==Ownership==
The building was originally commissioned by Inmos, but by July 1984 [[Thorn EMI]] had taken over Inmos.
In March 1989, Thorn EMI sold Inmos to [[STMicroelectronics|SGS-Thomson Microelectronics NV]].<ref name="Book">{{cite book |last= Hart |first= Jeffrey A |title= Rival Capitalists: International Competitiveness in the United States, Japan, and Western Europe|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalcapitalists00hart|url-access= registration |quote= Thorn EMI Inmos. |publisher= Cornell University Press|isbn= 978-0-8014-9949-4 |year=1993|pages= [https://archive.org/details/rivalcapitalists00hart/page/176 176]|accessdate=26 September 2009}}</ref><ref name="Sale">{{cite news |url= https://techmonitor.ai/techonology/newport_wafer_fab_the_latest_chip_plant_to_fall|publisher= [[BNET]]|title=Newport Wafer Fab The Latest Chip Plant To Fall|accessdate=25 September 2009 | year=1998}}</ref>

In 1999, a management buyout took over the factory, renaming the business, ''European Semiconductor Manufacturing Limited''.<ref name="Business">{{cite web |url= http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=10816145|publisher= [[United Business Media]]|title=Newport Wafer-Fab Bought Out For $160M|accessdate=25 September 2009}}</ref>

In March 2002, the factory was sold to [[International Rectifier]] Company (GB) Limited.<ref name="Wafer">{{cite web |url= http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2002/03/18/24568/sale-of-newport-wafer-fab-to-ir-saves-260-jobs.htm|publisher= [[Reed Business Information]]|title=Sale of Newport wafer fab to IR saves 260 jobs|accessdate=25 September 2009}}</ref>

In January 2015 it was acquired by [[Infineon Technologies]], under its subsidiary company IR Newport Ltd.<ref name="IRWafer"/>

In September 2017, Infineon sold the site to ''Neptune 6 Limited'', under its subsidiary company of ''Newport Wafer Fab Limited''.<ref name="Infineon">{{cite web |url= https://www.newportwaferfab.co.uk/about/history|publisher= CS Connected |title= A Critical Component of the Semiconductor Cluster|accessdate=20 February 2020}}</ref><ref name="IRWafer ">{{cite web |url= http://www.compoundsemiconductorcentre.com/in-the-news-infineon-selling-ir-newport-manufacturing-site-to-new-firm-neptune-6|publisher= Semiconductor Centre Limited|title= In the news: Infineon selling IR Newport manufacturing site to new firm Neptune 6|accessdate=20 February 2020}}</ref>

In July 2021 the site was sold to Chinese-owned Dutch-headquartered [[Nexperia]], who also have plants in [[Hamburg]] and [[Manchester]].<ref name="Nexperia">{{cite news |url= https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/05/nexperia-confirms-acquisition-of-newport-wafer-fab.html|publisher= [[CNBA]]|title=Chinese-owned Nexperia confirms acquisition of UK’s largest chip plant|accessdate=11 July 2021| date=5 July 2021}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2022-04-01 |title=UK ministers quietly approve Chinese microchip factory takeover |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-minister-quietly-approve-chinese-microchip-factory-takeover/ |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=POLITICO |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Kwasi Kwarteng]], then [[Secretary of State for Business and Trade|Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy]], deemed the sale insignificant to national security at the time of the acquisition.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Titcomb |first=James |date=2021-07-02 |title=Chinese-backed firm to take over UK's biggest microchip factory |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/07/02/chinese-backed-firm-eyes-takeover-uks-biggest-microchip-factory/ |access-date=2024-07-03 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> Based on a report by [[Datenna]], [[CNBC]] reported on 7 July that about 30% of the shares of Nexperia's parent company [[Wingtech]] could be traced back to the Chinese government,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Shead |first=Sam |date=2021-07-07 |title=The Chinese firm behind the acquisition of the UK’s largest chip plant is state backed, analysis shows |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/07/nexperia-owner-wingtech-is-backed-by-chinese-government-analysis-says.html |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> which, according to Datenna, led to high-level Chinese government influence in 2021.<ref name=":1" />

On 8 July 2021, British Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] announced that a security review would be launched, overriding Kwarteng's initial assessment.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-04-05 |title=Newport Wafer Fab: Chinese sale not probed despite PM pledge |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-60984537 |access-date=2024-07-03 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=China takeover of UK silicon wafer plant to be reviewed over security |url=https://www.ft.com/content/9cd8e433-3f1e-4b66-8d2a-527957a64c66 |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=www.ft.com}}</ref> He appointed [[National Security Adviser (United Kingdom)|National Security Adviser]] [[Stephen Lovegrove]] as head of the review process.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=16 May 2022 |title=UK opens national security probe into 2021 sale of local wafer fab to Chinese company |url=https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/26/security_probe_nexperia_sale/ |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=The Register}}</ref> Newport Water Fab only heard about the review through media reports.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shead |first=Sam |date=2021-08-03 |title=Chip plant says it has not heard anything from UK government on national security probe |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/03/newport-wafer-fab-hasnt-heard-from-westminster-about-security-probe.html |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> In December 2021, Lovegrove assured that the sale was under review but would not go into details.<ref name=":3" /> In April 2022, the investigation was completed and had come to the same conclusion as the previous Deputy National Security Advisor, that the plant was not a national security issue because the technology used was 20 years old and China already had it.<ref name=":2" />

In May 2022, a new Datenna investigation found that the overall percentage of shares traced to Chinese government entities declined to about 20 percent, resulting in a medium risk of government influence.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-26 |title=The Acquisition of Newport Wafer Fab and Nexperia |url=https://www.datenna.com/articles/newport-wafer-fab-case-study |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=Datenna |archive-date=26 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626072912/https://www.datenna.com/articles/newport-wafer-fab-case-study |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

In May 2022, another investigation was launched under the [[National Security and Investment Act 2021|National Security and Investment Act]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 July 2022 |title=Nexperia talks up its investment in UK wafer fab, says no plans to close |url=https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/06/nexperia_no_plans_close/ |access-date=4 July 2024 |website=The Register}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 May 2022 |title=UK government officially begins national security assessment of Newport Wafer Fab acquisition |url=https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/uk-government-officially-begins-national-security-assessment-of-newport-wafer-fab-acquisition/ |access-date=4 July 2024 |website=DCD}}</ref> The investigation was supposed to take 30 days<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 May 2022 |title=UK orders national security assessment of sale of microchip factory to China's Nexperia |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-carry-out-national-security-assessment-sale-microchip-factory-chinas-nexperia-2022-05-25/ |access-date=4 July 2024 |website=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Warrington |first=James |last2=Boland |first2=Hannah |date=2022-05-25 |title=China admits economy is worse now than during pandemic |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/05/25/ftse-100-markets-live-news-energy-price-cap-uk-windfall-wheat/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> but ended up taking almost 6 months.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Field |first=Matthew |date=2022-11-18 |title=How Newport Wafer Fab became a flashpoint in Britain’s showdown with China |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/11/18/how-newport-wafer-fab-became-flashpoint-britains-showdown-china/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> On 16 November 2022, the [[Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy]] of the British government ordered Nexperia to divest 86% of its ownership interest in Nexperia Newport Limited (NNL, formerly Newport Wafer Fab) for national security reasons,<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 November 2022 |title=Newport Wafer Fab decision: notice of final order |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1118369/NWF_Final_Order_Public_Notice_16112022.pdf |access-date=26 June 2024 |website=gov.uk}}</ref> which Nexperia has vowed to appeal.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=2022-11-16 |title=UK orders China's Nexperia to sell at least 86% of microchip factory |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/uk-orders-chinas-nexperia-sell-least-86-microchip-factory-2022-11-16/ |access-date=2022-11-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-11-16 |title=Chinese ownership of Newport microchip plant a 'security risk' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-63656816 |access-date=2024-06-26 |work=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref> Nexperia's UK manager said they rescued an investment-starved company from collapse, [...] repaid taxpayer loans, secured jobs, wages, bonuses and pensions, and agreed to spend more than £80 million on equipment upgrades since early 2021".<ref name="reg" /> The company said the decision was "legally wrong and disproportionate" in light of changes it had made to address the government's concerns, including a promise not to produce more sophisticated compound semiconductors.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jolly |first=Jasper |last2=Badshah |first2=Nadeem |date=2022-11-16 |title=British government blocks takeover of Welsh semiconductor producer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/nov/16/british-government-blocks-takeover-of-welsh-semiconductor-producer |access-date=2024-06-26 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In December 2022, it was announced Nexperia had engaged [[New York City|New York]] law firm, [[Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld|Akin Gump]] to act on their behalf in their application for a [[Judicial review in English law|judicial review]] of the UK government’s decision.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Manners |first=David |date=2022-12-30 |title=Nexperia engages New York law firm to fight UK government over Newport Wafer Fab |url=https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/business/necoeria-engages-new-york-law-firm-to-fight-uk-government-over-newport-wafer-fab-2022-12/ |access-date=2022-12-30 |website=Electronics Weekly |language=en}}</ref> Nexperia agreed to sell the facility to [[Vishay Intertechnology]] for $177 million in November 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gross |first=Anna |last2=Pickard |first2=Jim |date=8 November 2023 |title=Nexperia sells Newport Wafer Fab to US chip company for $177mn |url=https://www.ft.com/content/cf295f39-4be8-4ecb-a8f1-963c94d9b1c2 |work=Financial Times}}</ref> Nexperia sold 100% of Nexperia Newport Limited, which owned and operated the Newport facility, to Vishay.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-06 |title=Vishay Intertechnology Acquires Nexperia’s Newport Wafer Fab for $177 Million |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/vishay-intertechnology-acquires-nexperia-newport-071500206.html |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=Yahoo Finance |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Vishay Powers Up: Completes $177M Acquisition Of Nexperia's Wafer Fab In Major UK Semiconductor Push |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/vishay-powers-up-completes-177m-acquisition-of-nexperias-wafer-fab-in-major-uk-semiconductor-push/ar-BB1jpZpn |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=MSN}}</ref> In March 2024, the UK government approved the acquisition of the Newport wafer fab, as announced by Secretary of State [[Oliver Dowden]].<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2024-03-18 |title=Newport Wafer Fab sale wins government approval |url=https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/technology/article/sale-of-newport-wafer-fab-for-177m-approved-kp3wkks5j |access-date=2024-03-18 |language=en |issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-03-01 |title=Newport Wafer Fab: Semiconductor plant takeover gets go-ahead |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-68449303 |access-date=2024-03-18 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Vishay completes acquisition of Nexperia’s Newport Wafer Fab following UK Government approval |url=https://www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2024/mar/vishay-060324.shtml |access-date=2024-03-18 |website=www.semiconductor-today.com}}</ref> With the acquisition by Vishay, the 580 Newport employees retained their positions.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-11-08 |title=Technology: Hundreds of jobs saved after Nexperia forced to sell |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-67359645 |access-date=2024-06-27 |work=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==History of design and construction==

[[File:Inmos Factory.jpg|thumb|left|The former Inmos microprocessor factory in 2007 when it was owned by [[International Rectifier]]]]

[[Inmos|Inmos Limited]] commissioned the Richard Rogers Partnership, now known as Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners, to design its UK microprocessor manufacturing facility at Newport. The design criterion was for a fast construction, so that it was ready for operation within one year of starting.<ref name="Build">{{cite web|url= http://www.rsh-p.com/work/buildings/inmos_microprocessor_factory|publisher= Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners|title= Inmos Microprocessor Factory|accessdate= 24 September 2009|url-status= dead|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080421203427/http://www.rsh-p.com/work/buildings/inmos_microprocessor_factory|archivedate= 21 April 2008|df= dmy-all}}</ref> Richard Rogers until then was known for designing the [[Centre Georges Pompidou|Centre Pompidou]] in Paris and the [[Lloyd's building]] in London. The main contractor for the construction of the building was [[Laing O'Rourke|Laing Construction]], the structural engineers were Anthony Hunt Associates, the services engineers were YRM Engineers and the quantity surveyors were GA Hanscomb Partnership.<ref name="Designer">{{cite web |url= http://www.rsh-p.com/Asp/uploadedFiles/Image/0200_Inmos_Factory/RSHP_A_JS_0200_L_E_GB.pdf|publisher= Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners|title= Inmos Microprocessor Factory|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022075217/http://www.rsh-p.com/Asp/uploadedFiles/Image/0200_Inmos_Factory/RSHP_A_JS_0200_L_E_GB.pdf|archive-date=22 October 2007}}</ref>

The technical requirements were that it would house controlled conditions for the production of electronic [[Integrated circuit|microchips]], a service area for various offices and a staff canteen, all under one roof.<ref name="Build" /> The Inmos factory was designed to be a model factory that could be constructed in a variety of locations. The speed of the design process and construction time of the building were critical. The {{convert|8900|m2|ft2}} single-storey building was designed to be fabricated off-site, and assembled on the Newport site.<ref name="Designer"/>

The building is divided into clean and "dirty" areas. The [[cleanroom]] being for microchip production and the dirty area for all others services in the building. The building has a central spine which is {{convert|7.2|m|ft|0}} wide and {{convert|106|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} from which all the services and production area emanates from eight bays with the potential to increase this to 20 bays.<ref name="Build"/><ref name="Rogers book">{{cite web |url= http://www.bookrags.com/biography/richard-rogers/|publisher=www.bookrags.com/|title= Encyclopedia of World Biography on Richard Rogers|accessdate=22 September 2009}}</ref> Suspended beams span 40m from the central spine with masts along the length of the building allowing for a post-free area,<ref name="Structure"/><ref name="Columbia">{{cite web |url= http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsapp/BT/PATCENT/AR.html|publisher= [[Columbia University]]|title= Patscenter, Princeton, New Jersey, USA |accessdate=24 September 2009}}</ref> and so providing a flexible interior and the possibility of large work areas.<ref name="Structure"/> [[Reyner Banham]], the architectural critic and writer, said of the Inmos factory that it was "the first really challenging building of the 1980s."<ref name="Banham">{{cite book |last= Whiteley|first= Nigel |title= Reyner Banham: Historian of the Immediate Future |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SZxO8MoWBBIC&q=inmos+1982&pg=PA294|location= Cambridge |publisher= [[MIT Press]]|isbn= 978-0-262-73165-2 |year= 2003|pages= 294|accessdate=26 September 2009}}</ref>
Construction began in 1980 and was completed by 1982.<ref name="Structure">{{cite web |url= http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?id=s0000833|publisher= Nicolas Janberg (Structurae)|title= Inmos Microelectronics Plant|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Inmos factory}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080421203427/http://www.rsh-p.com/work/buildings/inmos_microprocessor_factory Inmos microprocessor factory on the Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners website]
*[http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/INMOS_Factory.html Inmos microprocessor factory on the Great Buildings website]
*[http://www.inmos.com/images/uk_construction/index.html Photos of the construction of the Inmos microprocessor factory on www.inmos.com]
*[https://www.archdaily.com/406019/ad-classics-inmos-microprocessor-factory-richard-rogers-partnership AD Classics: Inmos Microprocessor Factory / Richard Rogers Partnership], link at [[ArchDaily]]
{{City of Newport}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Newport, Wales]]
[[Category:Commercial buildings completed in 1982]]
[[Category:Richard Rogers buildings]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in Wales]]

Inmos microprocessor factory - Revision history

imported>Keith D: Change {{EngvarB}} to {{use British English}}