| Società Generale Semiconduttori | |
| Type: | Public |
| Fate: | merged with Semiconductor branch of Thomson SA |
| Founder: | Olivetti and Telettra |
| Successor: | STMicroelectronics |
| Hq Location: | Agrate Brianza, Lombardy, Italy[1] |
| Area Served: | Europe, Americas, Asia–Pacific |
| Industry: | Semiconductor industry |
SGS (Società Generale Semiconduttori, English: General Semiconductor Company) was an Italian manufacturer of semiconductor devices, most notably diodes, transistors and DIP ICs.
In 1957, Mario Tchou, an engineer from Olivetti, convinced Adriano Olivetti to found an Italian electronic manufacturing company for production of solid-state electronic devices. Olivetti sends his son Roberto Olivetti and Mario Tchou to negotiate with Virgilio Floriani, president of Telettra, to establish a joint venture. Within the same year, Olivetti and Telettra found Società Generale Semiconduttori (SGS).[2] One of the reasons for SGS's foundation is the need of parts (diodes and transistors in particular) for Elea, a mainframe that was being developed by Olivetti. Headquarters of the company was located in Agrate Brianza.[3]
In 1960, Fairchild Semiconductor acquired one third of the company and a joint venture called SGS-Fairchild got formed. That gave SGS access to Fairchild's newly invented planar manufacturing technology.[4] The partnership ended in 1968 and Fairchild sold its SGS stocks to IRI-STET, predecessor of TIM.
On December 1971, SGS merges with ATES and forms SGS-ATES. On 23 April 1985, the company changes its name to SGS Microelettronica. 2 years later, SGS Microelettronica merges with Thomson Semiconductors to form SGS-Thomson, which later becomes STMicroelectronics in 1998.[5]