'A new company, GEC Semiconductors, has been formed to produce the largest wholly UK-owned semiconductor company. This brings together under a single management the semiconductor activities of AEI Semiconductors at
So starts a story in Electronics Weekly's issue of August 13th 1969.
The story continues:
'On the product side, AEI Semiconductors are now strong in both power and microwave semiconductors while, with the IC facilities at both Glenrothes and Witham and the room for further expansion, GEC have the facilities to compete with all other semiconductor companies operating in the UK.'
'Points of speculation include the future of GEC's 49 per cent holding in Westinghouse Brake-English Electric Semiconductors, and whether GEC will enter the transistor market.'
'On the first point it is rumoured that the only factor holding up GEC withdrawing from the operation is an agreement on the price for the shares, while on the second point rumour continues to circulate that GEC are looking for other manufacturing outlets.'
The speculation was pretty close to the mark. In 1971 GEC pulled the plug on standard IC manufacturing in the
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