Vishay

Vishay Company Profile — Broadline Leader in Power Semiconductors & Passive Components

Founded: 1962 by Felix Zandman (named for his ancestral village, Vishay/Veisiejai)
Headquarters & Footprint: Manufacturing in Israel, Asia, Europe, and the Americas
Scale (2024): $2.9 billion revenue; ~22,700 employees
What Vishay makes: Discrete semiconductors (power MOSFETs, rectifiers/diodes, TVS/ESD, optoelectronics, selected ICs) and passive components (resistors, capacitors, inductors)

1) Overview & Positioning

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. is one of the world’s most diversified, vertically capable manufacturers of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components. Engineers turn to Vishay for power conversion, signal integrity, EMI/RFI suppression, sensing, and protection because the company offers a broad, proven catalog—from power MOSFETs and Schottky/ultrafast rectifiers to thin/thick-film resistors, aluminum/film/tantalum capacitors, and shielded power inductors—with consistent availability across global regions.

Vishay’s parts sit in portable devices, infrastructure, EV/industrial power stages, servers/storage, telecom, medical and defense, helping OEMs achieve efficiency, reliability, and long service life while meeting safety and environmental regulations. Its long-running strategy—broadline expansion, operational efficiency, regionalized production, and steady new-product rollout—has grown the company from a specialty foil resistor pioneer into a top global supplier across both active and passive categories.

2) From Foil Resistors to a Global Components Powerhouse

• 1962—Origins in precision: Founded by Felix Zandman, Vishay began with patented Bulk Metal® Foil technology, commercializing foil resistors and foil strain gages noted for ultra-low TCR, high stability, and precision metrology performance.

• 1985–2012—Acquisition engine: To become truly broadline, Vishay acquired leading houses across resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, and power semis: Dale, Draloric, Sfernice, Sprague, Roederstein, Vitramon, Siliconix, Telefunken, Electro-Films, Cera-Mite, Spectrol, General Semiconductor, Tansitor, Mallory/NACC, BCcomponents (ex-Philips), IR’s Power Control Systems, KEMET’s wet tantalum, Huntington Electric resistors, HiRel Systems—creating today’s Vishay portfolio and sub-brands familiar to engineers worldwide.

• 2010—Precision spin-off: To sharpen focus, Vishay completed the spin-off of Vishay Precision Group (VPG), covering high-precision foil technologies (resistors, load cells, strain gages).

• 2023–2024—UK fab acquisition: Vishay agreed to purchase the Inmos microprocessor facility from Nexperia (~$177 M), receiving UK government approval in March 2024—a move supporting capacity, geographic resilience, and long-term supply assurance.

This steady expansion has positioned Vishay as a single-source partner for board designers who prefer to consolidate AVL complexity while maintaining choice among technologies, packages, and grades (commercial, industrial, automotive, hi-rel).

3) Product Portfolio (What You Can Design In)

A) Discrete Semiconductors & Selected ICs

• Power MOSFETs (Trench, superjunction, logic-level): For DC-DC, motor control, battery systems, point-of-load, adapters, and high-density AC-DC front ends. Vishay is a global leader in MOSFET breadth—covering low-RDS(on) devices, rugged linear-mode options, and thermally efficient PowerPAK® and other packages that simplify thermal design.

• Rectifiers & Diodes: Schottky, ultrafast, standard recovery, bridge devices for SMPS and ORing; Zener and TVS/ESD protection for robust interfaces.

• Optoelectronics: Infrared emitters/receivers, photodiodes/phototransistors, ambient light/proximity sensors, and opto-isolators for HMI, remote control, smoke/IR sensing, and isolation tasks.

• Selected ICs: Interface and power-related ICs inherited via acquisitions (e.g., Siliconix heritage) that complement discrete designs.

B) Passive Components

• Resistors:

  • Thin film, thick film, wirewound, and metal-oxide through-hole and SMD families for precision and power, including current-sense and high-pulse parts.

  • Legacy brands (Dale, Beyschlag, Sfernice, Dr aloric) cover everything from ultra-stable precision to high-energy pulse applications.

• Capacitors:

  • Aluminum electrolytic (snap-in, screw-terminal, polymer), film (polypropylene, polyester) for DC link/snubber/PFC, tantalum (solid and wet tantalum for defense/aerospace).

  • BCcomponents, Sprague, Roederstein, Vitramon lines underpin the breadth across voltage/ESR/ripple/ESL needs.

• Inductors:

  • Shielded power inductors, IHLP®-style low-profile devices, molded high-current parts, and ferrite chokes for DC-DC, POL, and EMI suppression.

• Circuit Protection & Sensors: NTC/PTC thermistors, varistors, and related components for inrush limiting, thermal sensing, and surge suppression.

Grades & Certifications: Commercial to AEC-Q200/AEC-Q101 automotive, and hi-rel/space qualified lines for mission-critical deployments.

4) Markets & Applications

• Automotive & e-Mobility: AEC-qualified MOSFETs, rectifiers, NTCs, polymer/aluminum/film capacitors, current-sense resistors, and shielded inductors for on-board chargers, DC-link, 48 V to 12 V DC-DC, motor inverters, BMS, ADAS ECUs, and lighting/infotainment.

• Industrial & Energy: Drives, PLCs, power tools, solar inverters, UPS/ESS, factory automation. Emphasis on efficiency (low RDS(on), low ESR), thermal margin, and MTBF.

• Computing, Servers & Storage: Hot-swap protection, VRMs/POLs (low-profile inductors, MOSFETs), high-reliability capacitors, ESD/TVS at every IO boundary.

• Networking & Telecom: PoE switches, base stations, O-RAN radios—rectifiers, TVS/ESD, and power inductors tuned for EMI, thermal density, and uptime.

• Medical, Aerospace & Defense: Hi-Rel resistors, wet tantalum capacitors, specialized diodes, IR opto for instrumentation, imaging, and ruggedized platforms.

• Consumer & IoT: Chargers/adapters, white goods, power tools, wearables—cost-effective passives, ESD, and efficient MOSFETs enable compact, battery-friendly designs.

5) Manufacturing, Quality & Supply Resilience

Vishay operates major production in Israel, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, balancing regional proximity with cost-competitive sites. The strategy emphasizes quality systems, rigorous PCN/obsolescence processes, and multi-source capability across families to protect OEM supply chains. The 2023–2024 UK fab acquisition further diversifies capacity and enhances regional independence for sensitive nodes and packages.

6) R&D Themes & Packaging Know-How

• Lower conduction & switching losses in MOSFETs via trench and superjunction structures, optimized charge, and gate control.

• Thermal performance through PowerPAK® and advanced copper-leaded frames; low profile IHLP® inductors that minimize AC losses and height.

• High-reliability die attach, hermetic packages (wet tantalum, space-grade resistors/diodes), and automotive-grade screening.

• Material science leveraged from legacy brands to tune ESR/ESL, pulse handling, and long-term stability.

7) Why Engineers Choose Vishay

1. One of the broadest catalogs in the industry—simplifies AVL and vendor management.

2. Depth in power (MOSFETs, rectifiers, inductors, aluminum/film/tantalum capacitors) for dense, efficient converters.

3. Automotive & Hi-Rel pedigree with established quality flows and global approvals.

4. Stable, long-lifecycle parts and predictable PCNs that reduce redesign risk.

5. Global manufacturing footprint with investments that improve lead-time and continuity.

8) Practical Selection Tips (Fast Design-In)

• Power Stage: start with efficiency targets → pick MOSFET RDS(on) / Qg trade-off and thermal package; pair with low-ESR aluminum/film and shielded inductors sized for ripple and saturation.

• Protection: place TVS/ESD at every exposed interface; choose surge ratings by line environment (telecom/IEC).

• Sensing: use metal-strip current-sense resistors for accurate low-ohm measurements with low TCR.

• Automotive: lock AEC-Q parts early; verify derating (temp/voltage/ripple) and projected lifecycle.

• Hi-Rel: confirm screening level and documentation for aerospace/defense programs.