Dutch company Nexperia has hired US law firm Akin Comp to fight the UK government’s decision to block its purchase of Newport Wafer Fab, a semiconductor factory with limited Chinese capital. British officials finally blocked the deal in November this year, citing national security as the reason for the decision. Now, US attorneys are tasked with challenging that decision.
Newport Wafer Fab Semiconductor Factory. Image Source: Nexperia
Akin Gump will act on behalf of Nexperia in the company’s process for a judicial review of the UK government’s decision to block the deal. The UK court system is so complex that it cannot function without local legal representatives. Accordingly, Nexperia has also engaged a British lawyer, Lord Pannick KC, to assist it in looking at the application to overturn the restraining order.
Nexeperia has not given up hope that the UK authorities’ decision will be declared illegal and the factory will be returned to investors.
Interestingly, about a year after the deal to sell Newport wafer fab to Nexperia, several members of the US Congress wrote to President Biden, asking him to block it, after which the UK authorities launched a new investigation, which led to the suspension. Business. The final decision came in November, and it was adamant: Nexperia was forced to sell its controlling interest, possibly even to the former owners.
The actions of the UK authorities, Nexperia warns, have put the productivity and fate of the company’s 600 employees located in Wales at risk. But the British fear that behind Nexperia is Chinese company Wingtech Technology, which thanks to its Newport wafer fab factory has access to the production of wide-gap semiconductors based on gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC). This production of advanced power components and components for high frequency radio band is now required by everyone.
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