PMC-Sierra

For the former computer game manufacturer see Sierra Entertainment. For the wireless equipment maker see Sierra Wireless.

PMC-Sierra NASDAQ: PMCS is a fabless semiconductor company which develops and sells devices into the communications, storage, printing, and embedded computing marketplaces.

Corporate history

Sierra Semiconductor was originally founded in 1984 in San Jose, California, and went public in 1991. It received funding on 1/11/1984 from Sequoia Capital.

Pacific Microelectronics Centre (Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada) was spun off from Microtel Pacific Research (the research arm of BC TEL at the time) to develop ATM and later SONET chips. With investment from Sierra Semiconductor, PMC was established in 1992 as a private company focused on providing networking semiconductors, and became a wholly owned, independently-operated subsidiary of Sierra Semiconductor in 1994. Microtel is currently a part of Verizon.

In August 1996, Sierra Semiconductor announced its decision to exit the personal computer modem chipset business, to restructure its other non-networking products and focus on its networking products. In 1997, the Company changed its name to PMC-Sierra to reflect the corporate focus on internetworking semiconductor solutions.

Office locations

Burnaby, Canada PMC-Sierra Building

As of 2009, PMC-Sierra operates from nine locations throughout the world.

USA Corporate Head Office in Santa Clara, CA

Canada Operations Head Office in Burnaby, B.C.

As well as design centres, located in Burnaby, British Columbia; Montreal, Quebec; Beaverton, Oregon;
Santa Clara, California; Roseville, California; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Bangalore, India; Shanghai, China; and Herzliya, Israel.

Corporate Restructurings

The company has experienced multiple restructurings to meet the current demands on the market.

External links

• PMC-Sierra Corporate Website
• Profile of Sierra Semiconductor p307
• 8/31/1996 NY Times aricle about Sierra

References

1. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/31/business/sierra-semiconductor-expects-to-cut-150-employees.html SIERRA SEMICONDUCTOR EXPECTS TO CUT 150 EMPLOYEES. Retrieved on 2009-03-29
2. ^ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EKF/is_n2172_v43/ai_19530977/ Former Sierra Semi completes restructuring. Retrieved on 2009-03-29
3. ^ http://www.edn.com/article/CA184683.html PMC Maximizes Acquisitions: Brownridge details restructuring. Retrieved on 2009-03-29
4. ^ http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/pmc-sierra-lay-off-350/story.aspx?guid=%7B38F50E04-D5BF-4019-B3E9-5C533945C62D%7D PMC-Sierra to lay off 350. Retrieved on 2009-03-29
5. ^ http://www.edn.com/article/CA271159.html PMC-Sierra Lays Off 176. Retrieved on 2009-03-29
6. ^ http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/financial-performance/6244647-1.html PMC-Sierra Cuts 89 Jobs. Electronic News. July 4, 2005. Retrieved on 2009-03-29
7. ^ http://www.edn.com/article/CA6367465.html More Layoffs at PMC-Sierra. Electronic News, 8/31/2006. Retrieved on 2009-03-29
8. ^ http://www.edn.com/article/CA271159.html PMC-Sierra closes R&D centers, cuts 175 jobs. Electronic News 3/30/2007. Retrieved on 2009-03-29
9. ^ 10-K SEC Filing by PMC Sierra on 02/26/09. Retrieved on 2009-03-29