[News] CellWise Sold the Controlling Stake in its Overseas Foundry at SEK 2.37B

On June 13, 2025, CellWise released a summary of its draft report on a major asset sale, stating it plans to transfer the controlling stake in its wholly owned subsidiary, Silex Sweden, to seven buyers including Bure and Creades. Specifically, CellWise’s wholly owned subsidiary will transfer 4,410,115 shares of Silex Sweden—equivalent to 45.24% of the total shares post-transaction—for cash.

According to the announcement, the transaction is priced at SEK 2.375 billion.

Prior to the transaction, CellWise held 100% ownership of Silex Sweden through its subsidiaries, making Silex Sweden a fully owned subsidiary. Following the transaction, Silex Microelectronics will no longer hold a controlling stake but will retain a 45.24% interest via its subsidiary. As a result, Silex Sweden will be reclassified as an associate company and will no longer be consolidated into CellWise’ financial statements.

CellWise’s core business includes MEMS chip process development and wafer fabrication, as well as semiconductor equipment development. The company operates pilot and volume production facilities both domestically and abroad, including a mature MEMS fab in Sweden with two 8-inch lines, and a fully operational, large-scale MEMS fab in Beijing with an 8-inch production line.

Founded in 2000, Silex Sweden is a globally leading MEMS foundry. In 2015, CellWise acquired control of the company and completed the deal in August 2016. Following the acquisition, Silex Sweden has seen significant growth in both revenue and net profit, with revenue increasing from over CNY 200 million to over CNY 800 million, and net profit growing from CNY 20 million to a peak of CNY 200 million. The company also rose from a top-tier pure-play foundry to rank first globally for five consecutive years.

CellWise stated that after completing the transaction, it will focus its resources on scaling and optimizing its Beijing MEMS fab, aiming to develop a more focused, self-reliant, and growth-oriented domestic MEMS platform. This strategic shift aligns with opportunities arising from the rapid development of China’s semiconductor industry.

The 8-inch MEMS line in Beijing is positioned as a high-volume production line, with capacity continuing to expand. As of the end of 2024, the line reached a monthly capacity of 15,000 wafers. The company is currently executing a phased plan to double that capacity to 30,000 wafers per month.

(Photo credit: CellWise)