After a tough crisis year 2009, the “Silicon
Saxony” high-tech cluster around Dresden (Germany) is about to get
back on track. While the once world-leading photovoltaics industry is
increasingly getting under pressure from Asia and some players remain
skeptical whether the crisis now is really over, chip manufacturer
Globalfoundries is emerging as ‘king of the hill’ in the region.
The economic crisis hit the chip industry in and around Dresden particularly hard when memory devices maker Qimonda AG had to file for insolvency about a year ago. The liquidation of Qimonda’s production line in Dresden triggered a wave of redundancies. But while the semiconductor industry in the region suffered from the downturn during the first half of 2009, the photovoltaics industry prospered, fueled by government programs aiming at fostering renewable energies.
To read the full, original article click on this link: PROFILES IN INNOVATION: Europe's Silicon State of Saxony | http://www.thenextsiliconvalley.com
Author: The Next Silicon Valley
