The Franco-Italian semiconductor maker SGS Thomson Microelectronics NV is forecasting net profit for 1993 of over $100m says Jean-Francois Saglio, vice-president of its largest shareholder CEA-Industrie SA, who was quoted in La Tribune Defosses. In its 1992 results, SGS-Thomson had reported the beginnings of a turnaround, with a $3m net profit, and, in the first quarter of this year, a net of $24.4m. It also reported that its orders registered an increase of 91.2% for the first quarter of 1993. After its recent announcements of agreements with Mitsubishi Electric Corp (Flash memories) and Sanyo Electric Co (integrated circuits for interactive equipment) Saglio was reported to say that the company is negotiating other accords for long term benefit to its clients. The paper reported that the second part of the recapitalisation of SGS-Thomson, totaling $500m could be delayed due to a reworking of the company’s capital plan that is envisaged by the new minister of industry Gerard Longuet. Separately, SGS Thomson and its Inmos International Ltd subsidiary are recruiting 150 staff to work on its new generation Chameleon modular successor to the Transputer: most of the staff will be based at Inmos in Bristol under programme director Roberto Fantechi who is moving from SGS’s programmable products group in Grenoble.
