Akoustis Technologies, an integrated device manufacturer (IDM) of patented bulk acoustic wave (BAW) high-band RF filters for mobile and other wireless applications, announced that it is acquiring a 51% majority ownership position of RFM Integrated Device with the right to purchase the remaining 49% in 2022.
In terms of the rationale for this opportunistic acquisition, RFMi offers Akoustis:
- A comprehensive SAW resonator & RF filter, crystal (Xtal) resonator & oscillator and ceramic catalog product portfolio which complements Akoustis XBAW™ RF products
- New, synergistic sales channels and numerous market-leading customers providing significant cross-selling opportunities for Akoustis XBAW™
- Access to new strategic markets including Automotive/ADAS, medical monitoring and implant, energy and smart home, satellite communications and industrial/IoT
- Access to new wafer-level-package (WLP) products that are currently manufactured in factories certified to stringent automotive IATF16949 standards
- The ability to develop multi-chip-modules incorporating multiple technologies for each of the end markets including 4G/5G mobile
- Access to complementary SAW resonator, Xtal resonator & oscillator products to enhance Akoustis’ XBAW™ RF timing product portfolio announced last week
- A low-capex, fabless product business with synergistic supply chain operations along with a proven technical, marketing and engineering team, and
- A bolt-on RF filter business which is immediately accretive to Akoustis financials from a cash flow perspective.
Jeff Shealy, Founder and CEO of Akoustis, stated, “I am pleased to welcome the RFMi team to the Akoustis family, and look forward to adding several new end markets to our sales channel and broadening our XBAW™ funnel with significant cross-selling opportunities.” Mr. Shealy continued, “RFMi’s products complement our patented XBAW™ platform and make it possible to accelerate the development of multi-chip-modules that span 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi and satellite technologies for multiple markets.”
Akoustis intends to leverage its leadership in high-frequency BAW with RFMi’s growing portfolio of RF filter products to expand its reach into multiple markets and grow its portfolio of multi-chip-modules. Akoustis also intends to leverage RFMi’s wafer-level-package (WLP) products which are currently made in factories certified to the IATF16949 automotive quality standard.
Additionally, RFMi’s timing control product portfolio will greatly expand Akoustis’ new timing and frequency reference capabilities, introduced last week, with a growing portfolio of crystal resonator and oscillator products and RF SAW resonators designed to operate at lower frequencies than Akoustis’ XBAW™ resonators.
RFMi also offers ceramic dielectric resonator filters and low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) filters and diplexers for products that have significant power handling requirements, such as 5G network infrastructure, that exceed the capabilities of micro acoustic filter technology.
Akoustis will host an investor call to provide a business update and outlook, followed by a Q & A session at 8:30 a.m. ET. The call-in numbers are 877-407-3982 (domestic) or +01 201-493-6780 (international). The conference call will be webcast live on the Company’s website and will be available for playback by clicking here.
