History
Zilog was incorporated in California in 1974 by Federico Faggin, who left Intel after working on the 4004 and then the 8080 microprocessors. The company became a subsidiary of Exxon in 1980, but the management and employees bought it back in 1989 led by Dr. Edgar Sack.
Zilog went public in 1991, but was acquired in 1998 by Texas Pacific Group. Curtis Crawford replaced Dr. Edgar Sack and changed the company's direction towards 32 bit Data Communications Processors. Bonds were sold against the company to fund the new developments, but after the Internet bubble burst in 2000 and the resultant reduction in customer demand for such products, Curtis Crawford was replaced by James (Jim) Thorburn who reorganized the company under Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2001 and refocused it back to the 8 and 16 bit microcontroller market.
Jim Thorburn led Zilog back into profitability by FY 2007 they had $82 million in sales. During this time they developed the Encore! Flash 8 bit MCU product family and ZNEO Flash 16 bit MCU product family. In Feb 2007 Zilog hired Darin Billerbeck to replace Jim Thorburn as President and CEO.
2007 was the last year Zilog introduced any new 8-bit microcontroller products. With no new product roadmap, for FY2008 sales fell 20% to $67.2 million. Sales fell 46% in FY2009 to $36.2 million.
On January 2008, Zilog declined an unsolicited proposal made by Universal Electronics Inc to acquire the company.
On February 19, 2009, Zilog announced that it had sold off their 8-bit Crimzon Universal Remote Control infrared microcontroller product line, as well as their ARM9 32-bit microcontrollers, including the Zatara security microcontrollers and 15 patents, to Maxim Integrated Products. Remote control manufacturer Universal Electronics Inc. purchased all of Zilog's software & IP assets related to Zilog's universal remote control business, including all ROM code, software, and database of infrared codes. Zilog sold these assets for $31 million cash, less than half the assets real worth.
In December 2009, IXYS Corporation bought the company for $62.4m in cash, which was significantly below the market valuation of Zilog's stock at the time. Details of the acquisition have been under investigation.
Zilog still sells 8-bit microcontroller markets, but has not introduced a new 8-bit microcontroller semiconductor since 2007.
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