Monday, March 28, 2011

Fairchild Semiconductor moves HQ from Maine to Silicon Valley

By Rodney H. Brown

One of New England’s largest semiconductor companies will no longer be based here, now that Fairchild Semiconductor International Inc. has relocated its corporate headquarters from its South Portland, Maine, facility to its Silicon Valley offices.

According to a company spokesperson, the move has already happened and the San Jose, Calif., location is now the official headquarters for the 56-year-old company. Originally founded in 1955 in Silicon Valley, Fairchild (NYSE: FCS) became a Maine company when it spun out as an independent company again in 1997, after having various parent companies since 1979.

Fairchild is led by CEO Mark Thompson, who came on board after the man who led the 1997 buyout from National Semiconductor, Kirk Pond, stepped down from the role to remain as chairman. Thompson was recruited as a chip industry veteran from the Silicon Valley area. Pond was named a Mass High Tech All-Star in 2000.

Fairchild, which reported 8,900 employees globally as of December, is one of the largest private employers in the state of Maine, and earlier this month was cited as a primary driver for the Pine Tree State setting a record in 2010 export dollars. The company employs approximately 800 at its South Portland facility.

In April of last year, Fairchild reported that, for the first time since it left National Semiconductor, the company had more cash and securities on hand than debt on the books.