Linear Technology (LLTC)

Our dependence on third party foundries and other manufacturing subcontractors may cause delays beyond our control in delivering our products to our customers.

A portion of our wafers (approximately 20%) are processed offshore by independent assembly subcontractors located in Malaysia and Thailand. These subcontractors separate wafers into individual circuits and assemble them into various finished package types. Reliability problems experienced by our assemblers could cause problems in delivery and quality, resulting in potential product liability to us. We could also be adversely affected by political disorders, labor disruptions, and natural disasters in these locations.

We are dependent on outside silicon foundries for a small portion (less than 5%) of our wafer fabrication. As a result, we cannot directly control delivery schedules for these products, which could lead to product shortages, quality assurance problems and increases in the cost of our products. We may experience delays in delivering our products to our customers. If these foundries are unable or unwilling to produce adequate supplies of processed wafers conforming to our quality standards, our business and relationships with our customers for the limited quantities of products produced by these foundries could be adversely affected. Finding alternate sources of supply or initiating internal wafer processing for these products may not be economically feasible. In addition, the manufacture of our products is a highly complex and precise process, requiring production in a highly controlled environment. Changes in manufacturing processes or the inadvertent use of defective or contaminated materials by a third party foundry could adversely affect the foundry’s ability to achieve acceptable manufacturing yields and product reliability.

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