While the world is more interested in the foundary operations of Samsung, Intel and TSMC, IC Insights claims that Globalfoundries is doing rather well.

Globalfoundries was named by IC Insights a top performer in the 2012 semiconductor industry, along with fabless chip giant Qualcomm. According to the research firm in its new report, Globalfoundries enjoyed a 31 per cent revenue increase in 2012, driven by "its success in attracting new IC foundry customers.

Globalfoundries did a deal to buy more than 1,000 sets of production equipment installed at the 12-inch wafer fab of Taiwan-based ProMOS Technologies. ProMOS wanted to give up making RAM and go fabless. It also also disclosed that they are in talks to transfer the whole 12-inch plant as well as the existing employees stationed at the facility.

It is rumoured that Globalfoundries has landed a 28nm chip order from MediaTek, which normally contracts TSMC and UMC to manufacture its smartphones. Globalfoundries has laid out a roadmap for 2014 that includes 3D FinFET transistors at the 14nm process which makes it a contender in 2014.