Seoul – September 13, 2026 -- SK keyfoundry has signed a long-term wafer supply agreement with Elmos Semiconductor SE that guarantees production capacity through 2037, extending an 18-year partnership between the Korean 8-inch foundry and the German automotive chipmaker.
The deal, signed during a ceremony in Frankfurt am Main, shifts the two companies' collaboration from 350nm to 130nm process technology, marking the first major node transition in nearly two decades of cooperation.
New 130nm platform enables deep-trench isolation for high-voltage automotive chips
SK keyfoundry's 130nm technology incorporates deep-trench isolation (DTI), which provides electrical separation and supports highly integrated, high-voltage circuit designs with low substrate current. The foundry positions this capability as the technical basis for a broader range of automotive semiconductor products developed with Elmos going forward.
Elmos targets 2027 mass production for zonal-architecture eFuse controller
The first product built on the new 130nm platform is Elmos' E550.01, a smart 4-channel eFuse controller designed to protect and manage multiple current paths in vehicle electrical systems. The chip supports zonal vehicle architectures, an emerging design approach in next-generation vehicles that consolidates electronic control functions by physical zone rather than by individual system. Full-scale mass production is scheduled for 2027. Elmos and SK keyfoundry also plan to jointly develop a compact eFlash memory cell.
Elmos CEO cites planning certainty through 2037 as key to supply reliability
"The additional wafer capacity ensures planning certainty through 2037, thereby strongly supporting our supply reliability and continued growth," said Dr. Arne Schneider, Chief Executive Officer of Elmos Semiconductor SE.
For SK keyfoundry, the extended contract secures a long-standing automotive customer and forms part of the company's strategy to grow its market share in automotive semiconductors. Derek D. Lee, CEO of SK keyfoundry, said the company aims to expand its automotive supply base and strengthen its position as a global foundry through the partnership.
The agreement locks in capacity for over a decade at a time when automotive chipmakers have prioritized long-term foundry commitments to avoid the supply disruptions that affected the sector in recent years. Elmos, a fabless supplier specializing in analog mixed-signal ICs for driver assistance systems, sensors, motors and LED lighting, relies on external foundry partners such as SK keyfoundry for wafer production.