Infineon to enter Romania

A Development Center specializing in power semiconductors with analog and digital functions (power mixed signal) will be set up in the Romanian capital. This will enable Infineon to better serve the growing demand for smart power semiconductors for automotive and industrial applications, which now also include applications in the field of research and development. The new Development Center will strengthen the research community in this field, which currently incorporates sites in Villach, Padua, Munich and Graz. As a result, optimum conditions will be established for west European locations to focus even more closely on cooperation with the major automotive electronics vendors and thus drive forward product innovations. Thomas Simonis will assume management responsibility from April 1, 2005. The native German, who has worked for Infineon since 1999, spent the last two years setting up the Software Development Center in Bangalore, India for Infineon with very successful results. By the end of calendar year 2005 a setup with initially around 50 employees is planned. In conjunction with the University of Bucharest, Infineon plans to develop Master Study Programs to cover future R&D training requirements in the semiconductor industry. “There were many good reasons for choosing Romania as our new R&D location,” explains Dr. Reinhard Ploss, Group Vice President & General Manager Automotive, Industrial and Multimarket Group, Infineon Technologies AG and CEO of Infineon Technologies Austria AG. “The surrounding infrastructure - the proximity to the university and the great potential afforded by the existing training - provides a sound basis for meeting Infineon’s demand for highly qualified development engineers. In addition to cost advantages, we identified a strong high-tech orientation among the public authorities. If this positive impression is confirmed in practice, we should see significant further potential for expansion at this location.”