Last Updated on 12th September 2023
A semiconductor is a substance with an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor and an insulator. Semiconductors are crucial components of electronic devices—driving productivity and innovation in many industries.
The most commonly used semiconductor materials are Germanium, gallium arsenide, and silicon.
An integrated circuit or IC (also known as a “chip” or “microchip”) is a semiconductor wafer, which is an assembly of several electronic components, including capacitors, diodes, resistors, and transistors.
According to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), “a single semiconductor chip has as many transistors as all of the stones in the Great Pyramid in Giza.”
Semiconductor companies specialize in semiconductor production involving semiconductor design and manufacturing. The manufacturing process for a semiconductor product involves multiple steps performed in facilities known as “fabs” or “foundries.”
While “fabless” firms focus only on design, “foundries” focus on manufacturing. Semiconductor companies that work on both are called “Integrated Device Manufacturers” (IDMs).
Keep reading to learn more about the largest semiconductor companies in the world.
Table of Contents
Global Top 10 Largest Semiconductor Companies [2023]
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC)
Intel Corporation
Qualcomm Incorporated
SK hynix Inc.
Micron Technology, Inc. (MU)
Nvidia Corporation
Broadcom Inc.
AMD, Inc.
Texas Instruments Incorporated
MediaTek Inc.
Blackridge Research & Consulting – Semiconductor Fabrication Plant Projects
Wrapping Up
Here are the world’s top 10 companies leading in semiconductor manufacturing (ranking is based on revenue):
Founded: 1987
Location: Hsinchu, Taiwan
Founded by Morris Chang, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC) is known as “the world’s largest semiconductor company” mainly engaged in the best foundry services for the global logic IC industry.
Established as “the first dedicated semiconductor foundry in the world,” TSMC has account management and engineering services offices in China, Europe, Japan, North America, and South Korea.
TSMC drives manufacturing excellence in various ways, such as:
· Ability to maintain a high yield
· Accurate delivery
· Agility in meeting customers’ capacity needs
· Best-in-class cycle time
· Flexibility in the assurance of supply
TSMC Fabs
In 2022, TSMC and its subsidiaries exceeded 15 million 12-inch equivalent wafers in annual capacity at the following semiconductor fabs (manufacturing facilities):
· Four 12-inch wafer GIGAFAB® fabs
· Four 8-inch wafer fabs
· One 6-inch wafer fab
· One 12-inch wafer fab (at TSMC Nanjing Company Limited—a wholly owned subsidiary)
· Two 8-inch wafer fabs (at WaferTech in the U.S. and TSMC China Company Limited—wholly owned subsidiaries)
In December 2022, TSMC announced that a second fab (apart from TSMC Arizona’s first fab) is scheduled to begin 3 nm process technology production in 2026. Another TSMC fab in Kumamoto, Japan, is targeting production for 2024.
eFoundry
TSMC’s eFoundry® services shorten time-to-market, time-to-delivery, and time-to-volume through collaborative design, engineering, and logistical functions.
3DFabric™
TSMC 3DFabric™—a comprehensive family of 3D Silicon Stacking and Advanced Packaging Technologies—offers customers the ultimate flexibility in product design.
As a semiconductor manufacturer working with many platforms and sectors, TSMC offers the broadest range of services and technologies in the dedicated IC Foundry segment.
Founded: 1968
Location: Santa Clara, California, United States
Founded by Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore, Intel Corporation is one of the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturers by revenue.
Intel has continuously expanded its product offerings to provide end-to-end solutions—scaling from edge computing to the 5G network and the emerging fields of AI and autonomous driving.
Intel also leverages industry co-engineering, collaboration, and open-source contributions to develop and evolve new technologies.
Intel’s product range includes:
· Processors
· Chipsets
· Systems & Devices
· Memory & Storage
· Graphics Processing Units
· Server Products
· FPGAs and Programmable Devices
· Wireless Products
· Software
· Network Communications and I/O
Intel is committed to creating a better future for the world with a broad range of computing and connectivity technologies. For example, Intel is expanding its manufacturing capacity to meet the rapidly growing demand for semiconductors.
Intel is applying its reach, resources, and scale to advance semiconductor design and manufacturing to address customers’ greatest challenges in an increasingly smart and connected world.
The industry giant is at the forefront of accelerating software innovation and enabling customers to better leverage digital technology in a data-centric world.
Founded: 1985
Location: San Diego, California, United States
Qualcomm Incorporated is a globally leading fabless semiconductor company specializing in designing, manufacturing, and marketing digital wireless telecommunication products and services.
Qualcomm’s product portfolio includes the following:
Mobile
Snapdragon Mobile
· Smartphones
· Laptops & Tablets
· XR, VR, AR, MR
· Wearables
Automotive
Snapdragon Digital Chassis
· ADAS/AD
· Cockpit
· Connectivity
· C-V2X
· Car-to-Cloud
· Positioning Solutions
Internet of Things
Consumer
· Audio
· Cameras
· Smart Homes
· Smart Fitness
Industrial
· Building & Enterprise
· Retail & Payments
· Industrial & Automation
· Energy & Utilities
Networking
· Cellular Networks
· Wi-Fi Networks
Known as “the world’s largest smartphone chipmaker,” Qualcomm makes chips connecting smartphones to wireless networks.
According to an industry news source, Qualcomm hinted at a semiconductor shortage across the board as suppliers globally try to adjust to a vigorous rebound in demand for chips that run cars, computers, and other internet-connected devices.
The source further reported that Qualcomm outsources production to companies like TSMC and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.—as the orders for chips swamp the industry, the supply is expected to improve in the future to compensate for the chip shortage.
Qualcomm’s powerful connectivity solutions keep everyone and everything intelligently connected—delivering significant value across industries and to people worldwide.
Founded: 1983
Location: Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
SK hynix Inc. is known as “the world’s second-largest maker of memory chips” and a leading semiconductor supplier specializing in the manufacturing and sales of semiconductor devices, including DRAM chips, flash memory chips, and CMOS image sensors.
Since beginning its semiconductor business in 1983, SK hynix has evolved into a top-tier company leading the global ICT (Information and Communications Technology) ecosystem.
SK hynix has four production sites in China and South Korea, sales subsidiaries in 10 countries, and R&D centers in Belarus, Italy, Taiwan, and the U.S.
Over the years, the company has carved out a distinguished presence in the global semiconductor industry—a “technology innovator for a better world” shaping products for automotive, consumer, networking, server, and other applications.
SK hynix’s top-level micro process technology is based on constant R&D—with the company developing premium products with significantly improved capacity, performance, and speed.
SK hynix provides a wide range of products, including:
DRAM
· MODULE
· DDR
· LPDDR
· HBM
· GDDR
CXL™ (Compute Express Link™)
SSD
· Enterprise SSD
· Client SSD
NAND Storage
· UFS
· eMMC
MCP
· uMCP
· eMCP
CMOS Image Sensor (intensive pixel technology captures clear photos in low-light conditions)
According to a company news release, SK hynix successfully developed “HBM3E—the next generation of the highest-specification DRAM to drive AI (artificial intelligence) tech innovation. Following HBM3’s success, HBM3E’s launch is expected to solidify SK hynix’s leadership in the AI memory market.
Founded: 1978
Location: Boise, Idaho, United States
Founded as a four-person semiconductor design consulting company, Micron Technology, Inc. (also known as “MU” and “Micron”) has evolved into a global leader in the semiconductor industry with 17 worldwide locations, 15 customer labs, and 11 manufacturing sites.
Micron specializes in designing, developing, manufacturing, and selling innovative memory and storage products, which create faster access to apps, unlock data insights, and provide better performance at lower cost and lower power use.
Micron’s quality components are rigorously tested for a variety of applications—from automotive, data center, and industrial applications to gaming consoles, enterprise systems, and mobile devices.
Micron’s product portfolio includes:
Memory
· DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)
· DRAM modules
· LPDDR (Low-Power Double Data Rate)
· Ultra-Bandwidth solutions
· Managed NAND
· Multichip packages (MCPs)
· NAND (short for “NOT AND”) flash
· NOR flash
Storage
· Memory cards
· SSDs (Solid State Drives)
Micron’s leading-edge 1α (1-alpha) DRAM and 176-layer NAND and the next-generation 1β (1-beta) DRAM and 232-layer 3D NAND enable businesses worldwide to create pervasive, data-driven experiences and realize uninhibited productivity.
Micron’s semiconductor products are engineered to address the growing demands of data center workloads while ensuring high performance, reliability, and superior data protection.
Founded: 1993
Location: Santa Clara, California, United States
Nvidia Corporation (stylized as “NVIDIA”) is a pioneer in accelerated computing and a major supplier of chips and computing systems for AI.
Nvidia was founded by Chris Malachowsky, Curtis Priem, and Jensen Huang with a vision to bring 3D graphics to the multimedia and gaming markets.
In 1999, Nvidia invented the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), which reshaped the computing industry.
Nvidia’s diversity and resilience in its supply chain enable it to be at the heart of major tech trends—from AI and cloud computing to video games and self-driving cars.
Other than a wide range of software products, Nvidia has a hardware product portfolio for the following:
· Gaming and Entertainment
· Laptops and Workstations
· Cloud and Data Center
· Networking
· GPUs
· Embedded Systems
Nvidia’s success continues with an extensive array of products and solutions and a growing client base, including creators, developers, researchers, and scientists.
Founded: 1961
Location: San Jose, California, United States (Headquarters)
Broadcom Inc. is a global technology leader engaged in designing, developing, and supplying a diverse range of semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions.
Broadcom’s product portfolio serves critical markets, such as:
· Broadband
· Data center
· Industrial
· Networking
· Software
· Storage
· Wireless
Broadcom’s extensive product range includes the following:
Storage and Systems
· Storage Adapters, Controllers, and ICs
· Fiber Channel Networking
· PCIe Switches and Bridges
Wireless
· Amplifiers, Filters, and RF Components
· SoCs and Processors
Wired Connectivity
· Ethernet Connectivity, Switching, and PHYs
· Broadband: CPE-Gateway, Infrastructure, and Set-top Box
· Embedded and Networking Processors
· Custom Silicon
Optical Products
· Fiber Optic Modules and Components
· LEDs and Displays
· Motion Control Encoders
· Optocouplers and Opto-Isolators
· Optical Sensors
Broadcom Software
Mainframe Software
· Application Development
· Testing and Quality
· Identity & Access
· Compliance & Data Protection
· Operational Analytics
· Operations Management
· Workload Automation
· Output Management
· Databases & Database Management
· Mainframe Product Portfolio
Enterprise Software
· Value Stream Management
· Service Management
· AIOps and Observability
· Enterprise Automation
· Continuous Delivery
· Continuous Testing
· Layer7 API Management
Cybersecurity
· Symantec Enterprise Cloud
· Identity and Access Management
· Endpoint Management
· ATP
· Payment Security
Broadcom’s collaboration, innovation, engineering excellence, and diverse product portfolio make it uniquely positioned to lead the industry into the future.
Founded: 1969
Location: Santa Clara, California, United States
Founded by Walter Jeremiah (“Jerry”) Sanders, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD, Inc.) is a premier semiconductor company developing computer processors and related technologies for business and consumer markets.
Since beginning its journey as a Silicon Valley start-up, AMD has grown into “a global company setting the standard for modern computing”—pioneering many industry firsts and creating leading-edge semiconductor products along the way.
AMD’s comprehensive product portfolio includes (but not limited to) the following:
· Processors (for business systems, personal computers, workstations, etc.)
· Graphics
· Adaptive SoCs & FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array)
· Accelerators, SOMs (System-on-Module), and SmartNICs (Smart Network Interface Cards)
· Software, Tools, and Apps
AMD has more than 50 years of experience in providing computing, graphics, and visualization technologies to cutting-edge scientific research institutions, leading Fortune 500 businesses, and millions of people around the world.
AMD continues to push the limits of innovation with high-performance and adaptive computing technologies and a culture of execution excellence that inspires worldwide talent.
Founded: 1930
Location: Dallas, Texas, United States
Founded as “Geophysical Service Incorporated,” Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is an industry-leading semiconductor company that designs, manufactures, tests, and sells analog and embedded semiconductors for various applications, including:
· Automotive
· Communications equipment
· Enterprise systems
· Industrial
· Personal electronics
Whether accurately sensing and transmitting data or efficiently managing power, Texas Instruments’ broad portfolio of ~80,000 products helps customers overcome barriers in solving their toughest challenges.
Apart from robust business continuity processes that support unpredictable markets, the company’s control of its supply chain and flexible manufacturing strategy provide greater assurance of supply to meet existing and future demands.
According to Texas Instruments, it offers “direct access and real-time information to select and purchase its ready-to-ship products in any quantity at the lowest online price.”
Texas Instruments operates the following across its 15 global manufacturing sites:
· 12 wafer fabs
· Seven assembly and test factories
· Multiple bump and probe facilities
Texas Instruments’ assembly and test sites (separate individual semiconductor products from the wafer and assemble, package, and test them) undergo continuous expansion, modernization, and automation to meet the demands of customers across the world.
With the acquisition of National Semiconductor—a semiconductor manufacturer, which specialized in analog devices and subsystems—Texas Instruments expanded its market presence with greater manufacturing capacity and more leading-edge analog products.
Furthermore, Texas Instruments is investing and increasing capacity in 45- to 130-nm technology nodes—recognizing the criticality and long-term need for these nodes, which provide the optimal cost, power, performance, precision, and voltage levels required in automotive, industrial, and other markets.
Founded: 1997
Location: Hsinchu, Taiwan
Founded by Tsai Ming-kai, MediaTek Inc. is a well-known fabless semiconductor company and a market leader in developing SoC (System-on-Chip) for connectivity, home entertainment, mobile devices, and IoT (Internet of Things) products.
The renowned fabless chipmaker provides large-scale integration systems essential for flat-screen TVs, navigation systems, optical disc drives, smartphones, and other electronic devices.
According to MediaTek, its chips power over 2 billion devices a year—delivering more efficient, powerful, and a smarter experience for every demanding daily need—from education and work to gaming and streaming.
MediaTek also states that it is “the world’s #1 smartphone chip supplier.”
MediaTek’s product portfolio includes (but not limited to) the following:
Smartphones
· MediaTek Dimensity 5G
· Dimensity® 5G Open Source Architecture
· MediaTek Helio G
· MediaTek Helio P
· MediaTek Helio A
Chromebooks & Tablets
· MediaTek Kompanio Chromebooks
· Tablets
Smart Home
· MediaTek Pentonic Smart TVs
· Audio
· Voice Assistant Devices (VAD)
· BLU-RAY, DVD, STB
· Optical Disc Drive
· Commercial Display
MediaTek Dimensity Auto
MediaTek continues to be a market-driving force in various key technology areas with its pioneering solutions, smarter technologies, and dedication to innovation.
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Semiconductors create economic and societal value worldwide and power our lives every day—from hospitals and factory floors to the global communications network and social media interactions.
A research study estimates the global semiconductor industry to become a trillion-dollar industry in the coming years, with 70% of the overall market growth expected to be driven by the automotive, data storage, and wireless industries.
Globally, semiconductor manufacturers are unlocking new areas of opportunity by strategically focusing on R&D, enhancing business agility, and driving operational improvements.
For example, NXP Semiconductors provides secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications. In contrast, Applied Materials’ expertise in developing materials engineering solutions enables it to modify materials at atomic levels and on an industrial scale.
On the other hand, Maxim Integrated (now part of Analog Devices) designs and manufactures analog and mixed-signal ICs for computers, peripherals, and handheld electronics, among others.
Semiconductor companies are breaking barriers in making semiconductor technology affordable and accessible by improving processes, products, supply, and costs.