Qualcomm has made it into one of the top ten semiconductor supplier lists for the first time. According to IC Insights, Qualcomm was the tenth largest chip-maker in the world based on revenues for the first half of 2008.

Of the top ten companies, three were American, three Japanese, two Korean, and one each from Europe and Taiwan. Europe did have the No.11 performer, Infineon, though NXP, a top ten regular for 45 years, crashed out of the top ten ending up at No.14.

NXP, which has been owned for the last two years by a Wall St private equity consortium that imposed $6.7bn debt on the company, has suffered worst in the rankings of all the top 20 players. It suggests that Wall St management doesn't work in the semiconductor industry.

The top ten list reads ($bn):

1. Intel 17.4
2. Samsung 11.2
3. TI 6.4
4. Toshiba 5.8
5. TSMC 5.6
6. ST 4.6
7. Renesas 4.3
8. Hynix 3.5
9. Sony 3.4
10. Qualcomm 3.4

Qualcomm leapt into the rankings after a 29 per cent increase in first half revenues compared to H107. Qualcomm's wireless rival Broadcom made it into the top 20, at No.20.

Moving up the rankings were Infineon, Renesas and TSMC. Moving down were Hynix and ST. But ST's figure no longer include the flash business, spun off into Numonyx, and recorded like-for-like sales which were 13 per cent more for H108 over H107.

NXP which went down four slots from the No.10 position to No.14.

See also: Mannerisms, the blog of David Manners. Updated twice daily, it's the distinctive, entertaining, authoritative and never dull commentary on the semiconductor industry, from someone who knows. Sign up for the Mannerisms eNewsletter.

Sign-up for the ElectronicsWeekly.com newsletters
Daily Latest (Daily)	Weekly roundup (Weekly)	Mannerisms (Weekly)	Circuits (Fortnightly)	Made By Monkeys (Fortnightly)