The largest chipmakers in Orange County boosted local employment significantly in the past 12 months, buoyed by big takeovers amid ongoing global consolidation.
The 16 largest semiconductor companies here added 443 positions, or 11.5%, to 4,294 local workers through April.
The big jump followed a modest employment gain of 2.2% last year, which came after two consecutive years of job losses.
Six companies on this week’s list added workers, and one shed jobs. Nine companies were either Business Journal estimates or didn’t provide enough information for a year-over-year comparison.
Ten employers maintained their same ranking as last year, including the top three, with two companies accounting for the lion’s share of growth this year.
• No. 3, Woburn, Mass.-based Skyworks Solutions Inc., which has executive operations in Irvine, added 37 employees, up 9% to 444.
In August, the company completed a $405 million takeover of analog chip systems maker Avnera Corp., boosting wireless connectivity offerings with ultra-low power analog circuits that enable smart devices. The buy also boosts Skyworks’ presence in the artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, enterprise and auto sectors, the company said.
More growth could be on the way locally. Skyworks has leased another building running 91,000 square feet next to its existing Irvine offices. The space is large enough to hold several hundred more workers.
The Apple Inc. supplier (Nasdaq: SWKS) grew revenue 6% to $3.8 billion in its last fiscal year ended September.
• Santa Clara-based Marvell Semiconductor Inc. was a big mover on this week’s list, jumping four spots to No. 4 after adding 238 jobs to 348, up a whopping 216%.
The company (Nasdaq: MRVL) in July completed a $6 billion takeover of smaller rival Cavium Inc., adding to its product suite of storage, processing, networking, wireless connectivity and security chips.
“The growth of the local workforce is due in large part to the company’s acquisition of Cavium which closed in July of 2018 and consolidating operations of both companies into one location,” a spokeswoman told the Business Journal.
Much of Cavium’s local operations previously ran under the QLogic Corp. banner, prior to a sale a few years ago.
• Chandler, Ariz.-based Microchip Technology Inc. moved up eight spots to No. 5 after adding 150 jobs to 210. Its 250% employment jump was the highest among any company on a percentage basis.
Microchip (Nasdaq: MCHP) about a year ago acquired Aliso Viejo-based Microsemi Corp. for $10.3 billion.
The buy added chips built into satellites, drones, digital televisions, defibrillators, pacemakers and other devices made by the likes of Boeing Co., Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Samsung Electronics.
The offerings and end-markets complement Microchip’s strong presence in the industrial, auto and home appliance segments.
• Solarflare Communications Inc. maintained its No. 11 ranking, despite shedding 8 jobs to 66, down 11%. The Irvine-based company last month said it would be acquired by computer technology giant Xilinx Inc. in San Jose.
Terms of the transaction, scheduled to close later this year, were not immediately disclosed.
Xilinx, which has a market value of about $30 billion, was part of a funding round for privately held Solarflare last year. A few months ago, the two firms unveiled their first product, a new type of network interface card designed to plug into a server or storage box to enable connectivity to an Ethernet network.
Solarflare has been in business since 2001, and has raised more than $300 million in a series of funding rounds over the years. Recent investors have included Oak Investment Partners, Anthem Venture Partners, Acacia Capital Partners, and Miramar Venture Partners.
• No. 14 Irvine chip startup Syntiant Corp. was the only newcomer on the list. The company, profiled in the Business Journal’s April 22 edition, recently put its first batch of chips into limited production.
The chips, which use a fraction of the power of current semiconductors, facilitate artificial intelligence and machine learning in computing devices. The new generation of chips is expected to help drive advances in “always on” products including smartphones, microphones, security cameras, drones, sensors, laptops and wearables, such as fitness trackers and Bluetooth earbuds.
“There is huge demand for AI silicon,” Syntiant Chief Executive Kurt Busch told the Business Journal.
“First was the keyboard, then the mouse, followed by the touch screen. Now it’s pretty clear that the next ubiquitous interface will be voice.”
