Ams AG

ams AG, formerly known as austriamicrosystems AG, AMS (Austria Mikro Systeme International Aktiengesellschaft m.b.H.), is a designer and manufacturer of sensors and sensing solutions headquartered in Premstätten, Austria. In 2019, the company's revenue surpassed US$2 billion. The company employs around 8,500 people globally and holds over 3,000 patents (granted and pending). ams headquarters is located on the grounds of an old Austrian castle and it also has a strong manufacturing base in Singapore and Philippines.
ams headquarters is located on the grounds of an old Austrian castle. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: AMS).
In 2020, ams became the majority shareholder of OSRAM Licht AG as part of the ongoing acquisition of the company. The goal of the combined company is to become a global leader in sensor solutions and photonics.
On 3 March 2021, ams AG announced that the Domination and Profit and Loss Transfer Agreement ("DPLTA") between ams Offer GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of ams AG, the parent company of ams Group, and OSRAM Licht AG ("OSRAM") became effective on that day. Operating as one company, and with over 110 years of combined history and more than 15,000 granted and applied patents, the ams Group is firmly focused on creating optical solutions for the future. Headquartered in Premstätten (Austria) with a co-headquarter in Munich (Germany), the company serves customers in the consumer, automotive, healthcare and industrial technology sectors.
Corporate Affairs.
Operation segments.
ams provides high performance sensor solutions for leading OEMs, focused on sensor-rich markets:
Consumer – 48% of revenue for 2020 – produces sensor solutions used in smartphones, wearables  
ams optical sensing solutions for 3D sensing including VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser) illumination, high quality display management including behind-OLED (BOLED) sensing, micro-scale proximity sensing, spectral and bio-sensing, and other optical applications
Automotive, industrial and medical – 52% of revenue for 2020
Finance and employee numbers.
Financial and employee numbers of ams AG according to yearly reports.
Shareholder structure.
Significant shareholders include: Temasek Holdings Private Limited 5.40% BlackRock, Inc. 4.67%, the overwhelming majority of shares are in free float
Management.
The supervisory board consists of Chairman - Hans Jörg Kaltenbrunner, Michael Grimm – Vice Chairman, Brian M. Krzanich, Kin Wah Loh, and Dr Monika Henzinger, Yen Yen Tan
Honorary Chairman Guido Klestil
Alexander Everke began his tenure as CEO of ams in March 2016. He joined ams from NXP Semiconductors.
CEO Alexander Everke was named Executive of the Year, Global 2019 by AspenCore Global CEO Summit.
Alexander Everke received the "Top of Styria" Award in 2019.
Awards.
ams won the 2019 GSA Award - 'Outstanding EMEA Semiconductor Company'
History.
1978–2000.
In 1981, American Microsystems Inc. and Voestalpine AG formed a joint venture. The company was named Austria Mikro Systeme International Gesellschaft m.b.H. with HQs in Unterpremstaetten near Graz, Austria.
In 1983 the Austrian chancellor Fred Sinowatz officially opened the first 100mm Wafer factory in Austria, where production began with 300 employees.
In 1989, the first sales office was established in San Jose, California.
In 1991 ams was seen as one of the 25 fastest growing businesses in Europe.
In 1992, Semiconductor International Magazine, USA named Austria Mikro Systeme International Aktiengesellschaft as (the/a) Top Fab of 1992 in Europe.
In June 1993, Austria Mikro Systeme International Aktiengesellschaft was the first Semiconductor Company in Europe to go public at the at the Vienna stock exchange.
Austria Mikro Systeme International Aktiengesellschaft opened the first sales office in Asia in 1995 the company also received ISO 14001: 1996 and EMAS certification. In 1997, AMS achieved first successes in the area of Deep Submicron technologies.
In 1998, the NASAs "Deep Space 2" mission took off with 2 chips developed by Austria Mikro Systeme International Aktiengesellschaft and Boeing. These chips were designed to manage the power supply of the space probe. In the same year the company was accredited according to the American and German Automotive industry, QS 9000 and VDA 6.1 respectively.
In 1999, Austria Mikro Systeme International Aktiengesellschaft was designated preferred global foundry partner for CMOS and BiCMOS by Europe's leading design houses.
In 2000, the foundation stone for the first 200 mm wafer fab was laid at the headquarters in Unterpremstaetten, Austria. Also Austria Mikro Systeme International Aktiengesellschaft opened Design Centers in Rapperswil (Switzerland) and Pisa (Italy).
2001–2010.
The new 200mm production line starts its trial run. At the same time a license agreement has been reached between austriamicrosystems AG and TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.), the largest global IC Foundry. After the successful trial run the new 200mm Wafer factory goes ahead with the mass production in 2002. New sales offices in Singapore were opened in the same year, furthermore an expansion of locations in Hong Kong, Japan and the USA was carried out.
Silicon Strategies listed austriamicrosystems as the only European company under the top ten 2003 Foundries worldwide. austriamicrosystems AG decided to continue its policy of expansion with new sales offices in South Korea, China (Suzhou), Finland and Sweden. Additionally, a design center for multimedia playback applications was set up in Bangalore, India.
2004 was the year austriamicrosystems AG found its way back to the stock exchange. Since 17 May that year austriamicrosystems AG is listed on the Swiss Stock exchange, short SIX, in Zürich.
In 2005 the standard products as well as the capacity of the 200mm Wafer factory were expanded to compensate for the shut down of the old 100mm factory which played a main part in the success of austriamicrosystems AG.
In 2006, the year of the 25th anniversary, a new test centre in the Philippines and a new design centre in India were built. The 200mm Wafer factory was also expanded further.
In 2007 austriamicrosystems AG stepped into new business segments in the form of a partnership with the micro motor manufacturer New Scale Technologies. In the same year the new cafeteria & conference centre (CCC) was built by the architect DI Tinchon.
AG reduced emissions and plans in the mid term to produce CO2-free. Nevertheless, austriamicrosystems AG reached revenues amounting to EUR 209.4 in 2010.
2011–2018.
In 2011 austriamicrosystems acquired 100% of the shares in Texas Advanced Optoelectronic Solutions, Inc., ("TAOS") for about US$320 million (about EUR 220m). TAOS works in the area of light sensor technologies.
In May 2012 austriamicrosystems rebrands to "ams". The new brand name ams conjoins austriamicrosystems and the brand of TAOS, a supplier of intelligent lights sensors, acquired in 2011. Furthermore, ams AG acquired IDS Microchip AG in the same year.
Since 13 May 2013 Kirk Laney, former CEO of TAOS Inc., took over the interim management of the company after the step down of John Heugle, head of company for 11 years.
In June 2014 ams acquired 100% of shares in AppliedSensor, a maker of solid-state chemical gas sensors.
On 25 June 2014 ams published a statement of a possible merger of equals with Dialog Semiconductor.
In 2015 ams acquired the advanced CMOS sensor business from NXP and CMOSIS, a supplier of area scan and miniature medical CMOS image sensors.
In 2016 ams acquired CCMOSS, the color and spectral sensing specialist MAZeT, the optical packaging firm Heptagon and the Incus Laboratories, active in active noise cancellation in headphones and earphones.
In March 2017 ams acquired 100% of the shares in Princeton Optronics, Inc., a provider of Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs), in an all-cash transaction. In September 2017, AMS announced that it would be opening site under $200 million plan in Singapore.
2019-present.
In March 2019 ams and Wise Road Capital, a global Private Equity firm focusing on the semiconductor industry and other emerging high-tech industries, create a joint venture to advance the development and sales of environmental, flow and pressure sensor solutions for the global market.
In 2019, ams reported record sales of US$2,085 million.
ams and OSRAM
In 2019 ams launched a takeover offer at €38.50 per OSRAM share following waiver of standstill. In September 2019, ams increased its direct shareholding in OSRAM to 19.99. In October 2019, the ams offer for OSRAM did not achieve minimum acceptance threshold. In October 2019, ams launched a second offer for €41.00 per OSRAM share, which succeeded in December 2019. In December 2019, ams entered into Business Combination Agreement with OSRAM. In July 2020, ams receives EU regulatory approval for OSRAM acquisition; expected closing of transaction on 9 July 2020.  In September 2020, ams AG announced that ams Offer GmbH and OSRAM concluded the Domination and Profit and Loss Transfer Agreement, enabling the integration of both companies into a combined new company.
ams has the stated vision for the joint company to create the uncontested leader in Optical Solutions. (ams and OSRAM)
On 3 March 2021, ams AG announced that the Domination and Profit and Loss Transfer Agreement ("DPLTA") between ams Offer GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of ams AG, the parent company of ams Group, and OSRAM Licht AG ("OSRAM") became effective on that day.
In 2020, ams becomes the majority shareholder of OSRAM Licht AG and concludes a Domination and Profit and Loss Transfer Agreement with OSRAM Licht AG.
For the full year 2020, ams reported in 2021 positive full year group results and strong full year group cash flow.
On 3 March 2021, the combination of ams and OSRAM has been accomplished. The combined company focuses on optical solutions for the future and serves customers in the consumer, automotive, healthcare and industrial technology sectors.
Research and Development.
In 2019, research and development expenses totaled EUR 261.2m - corresponding to 14% of revenue. The research and development department employs over 1,200 employees.  Recent product developments based on ams' R&D activities include behind-OLED light sensing solutions, illumination solutions for 3D sensing applications in structured light, time-of-flight and active stereo vision, high-power VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) emitters for automotive ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), active noise cancellation for loose-fitting true wireless earbuds, and high QE NIR image sensors for 3D sensing. (page 62)
Product Firsts.
In 2015, ams introduced the AS7000, the industry's first total solution for 24/7 heart rate measurement for wearables. The same year ams launched world's smallest ambient light sensor for next generation thinner wearable products and also industry's first sensor module to integrate universal remote control, barcode emulation, color sensing, proximity and 3D gesture detection.
In 2016, ams launched the TMD3700, the industry's smallest module to offer color, ambient light and proximity sensing.
In 2017, ams launched the TCS3430, the smallest available XYZ tri-stimulus sensor for True Color consumer applications.
In 2018, ams released the TMD3702VC module, the industry's slimmest proximity/color sensor module for bezel-less smartphone designs.
In 2019, ams introduced the world's smallest digital IR proximity sensing module, the TMD2635. The TMF8701, the world's smallest 1D time-of-flight sensor was also launched in 2019. The ams' TMF8701 Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor wins "Best of Sensors Innovation" and the company scores "Best Engineering Team" at Sensors Expo 2019
In 2020 ams spectral readout technology for Lateral Flow Immunoassays is used in PCR tests and now for antigen and antibody detection in the fight against COVID-19. Also in 2020, ams launched the world's smallest proximity/light sensor module, the TMD2755 3-in-1 sensor, to enable phone makers to reduce bezel width and the new Merano Hybrid module is introduced, the world's smallest IR flood illuminator system.
In 2021 ams introduced the world's first AEC-Q102 and ISO 26262 compliant VCSEL flood illuminator, offering IR illumination for in-cabin sensing applications.
Coporate Social Responsibility.
Sustainability.
ams GREEN is the name of the ams environmental program that includes the ban of Chlorine (CL), Bromine (Br), Red Phosphorus and Antinomy, RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU and REACH Directive 2006/1907/EC compliance.
In 2012, ams announced that it was reviewing its supply-chain and would not source materials from countries where revenues are used to fund militant groups, and where human and environmental rights are not adhered to. Conflict-Free Minerals Sourcing Policy.
ams requires that its supply chain adhere to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance that was developed to help companies avoid contributing to conflict, serious human rights impacts and financial crime through their operations or mineral sourcing practices.
ams declares its compliance to California Proposition 65
As a member of United Nations Global Compact Initiative, CSR and Sustainability activities are fully integrated into ams business operations and aligned with the 10 principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.
Diversity.
According to ams, over 60 nationalities are currently working for the company on three continents. Women comprise of about 50% of the employee base in 2019, with women accounting for 17% of the engineering staff. page 10
ams was recognized as one of Europe's most inclusive companies – as ranked by employees in the 2021 FT Diversity Leaders list.
Jennifer Zhao, head of ams' optical division wins the "Woman of the Year" award at Questex's Sensors Innovation Week.