Zilog history

Masatoshi Shima, who also worked with Faggin on the 4004 and 8080, joined Zilog in 1975.

Ungermann had a falling-out with Faggin and left Zilog in 1978.

To that end, in 1979 ZiLOG introduced its second-generation, 16-bit chip, called the Z8000.

In May 1982 Exxon hired Franc deWeeger to head the limping ZiLOG. The 50-year-old deWeeger was a seasoned semiconductor manager with more than 15 years at Motorola and two years with a small technology company called Signetics.

The strategy was effective, as evidenced by sales and profit gains beginning in 1986.

Having achieved profitability with the subsidiary, Exxon decided early in 1989 that it was time to sell off ZiLOG and get out of the semiconductor business.

1991: ZiLOG goes public.

In 1995 ZiLOG employed about 1,500 workers, operated manufacturing facilities in the United States and the Philippines, and supported 26 direct sales offices and 120 distributors throughout the world.

In 1997, private investment firm Texas Pacific Group (TPG) agreed to acquire ZiLOG. The $396 million transaction was completed early the following year.

"Flying Start," Electronic Times, June 8, 1998.

As part of this strategy, ZiLOG acquired chip designer Production Languages in 1999 and bought a 20 percent interest in Qualcore Inc.

With ZiLOG's fortunes back on the rise, TPG planned to take the company public in 2000.

Ristelhueber, Robert, "As Crawford Surrenders CEO Post, His Vision Remains Unfulfilled," Electronic Business, February 5, 2001.

By the time ZiLOG emerged from bankruptcy in 2002, TPG had sold off its ownership stake.

2004: The Z8 Encore! product line is launched.

Jim Thorburn led Zilog back into profitability, and by FY 2007, Zilog had $82 million in sales.

In January 2008, Zilog declined an unsolicited proposal made by Universal Electronics Inc. to acquire the company.

In December 2009, IXYS Corporation bought the company for $62.4 million in cash, which was significantly below the market valuation of Zilog's stock at the time.

In February 2012, Zilog announced the release of its Z8051 family of microcontrollers and tool sets to fill a vacancy in the developer market for 8051 cores that was created when chip-maker NXP Semiconductors exited the 8051 market.

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