GlobalFoundries, a American semiconductor manufacturer, today announced that it has filed multiple lawsuits in the U.S. against Tower Semiconductor Ltd. alleging that it has infringed GF patents by freeriding on decades of GF innovation with an intent to unlawfully take business away from the American chipmaker. The lawsuits were filed today in the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.
The complaints allege that Tower, a competing semiconductor manufacturer, unlawfully uses GF’s patented manufacturing process technologies, engaging in unlicensed exploitation of GF’s R&D investments rather than undertaking the costly, long-term research required to develop these capabilities independently. The actions assert infringement of 11 GF U.S. patents protecting high-performance technologies critical to smart mobile, automotive, aerospace and communications infrastructure, and seek injunctive relief to block Tower’s importation and sale of infringing products in the U.S. as well as to compensate GF for any lost profits.
“Semiconductor manufacturing is one of the most complex and capital-intensive industries in the world,” said Gregg Bartlett, chief technology officer at GF. “There is no shortcut to real innovation. Companies that attempt to extract value from patented process technologies without authorization or investment undermine fair competition and the integrity of the semiconductor ecosystem. Our actions are necessary to defend our intellectual property, protect the innovation that underpins it, and to ensure that competitors play by the same rules.”
GF has made sustained investments in domestic semiconductor manufacturing and research and development for more than a decade, building a robust global intellectual property portfolio rooted in U.S. innovation. In June 2025, GF committed up to $16 billion in additional U.S. fab investments, including approximately $3 billion dedicated to R&D in emerging semiconductor technologies.
GF has built a strong portfolio of over 8,000 patents through sustained innovation, deep process expertise and decades of proprietary know-how, while Tower has less than 500 patents, and the company will vigorously enforce its intellectual property rights in support of a vibrant semiconductor manufacturing industry for the benefit of its customers.