Key Moments
- Microchip Technology (NASDAQ:MCHP) shares increased 2.6% in premarket trading after expanded MIL-PRF-38535 QML Class Y certification at its Nantes, France facility.
- The Nantes site, certified to QML Classes Q and V since 1999, now adds Class Y to support higher integration and advanced semiconductor architectures for next-generation military and space programs.
- With the new approval, Nantes joins Microchip’s San Jose, California facility as locations qualified to MIL-PRF-38535 Classes Q, V and Y, alongside multiple additional U.S. and European qualification sites.
Certification Upgrade Lifts Microchip Shares
Microchip Technology (NASDAQ:MCHP) traded higher in premarket activity on Thursday, with the stock up 2.6%, after the company reported that its manufacturing site in Nantes, France secured an expanded Qualified Manufacturers List (QML) MIL-PRF-38535 certification that now includes QML Class Y.
The new designation broadens the scope of the Nantes facility, which had previously been certified only for QML Classes V and Q. The addition of Class Y authorization enables the site to handle a wider set of packaging technologies, including non-hermetic options designed for aerospace and defense uses.
Expanded Capabilities for Advanced Defense and Space Systems
The Nantes operation has held QML certification for Classes Q and V since 1999. The latest Class Y qualification supports higher levels of system integration and more sophisticated semiconductor architectures that are required for emerging military and space programs.
The facility is also configured to perform qualification and testing for Microchip’s PIC64 High-Performance Spaceflight Computing (PIC64-HPSC) products. These devices are described as 64-bit microprocessors that are radiation-hardened and radiation-tolerant for use in space exploration environments.
Global Network of Qualified Sites
Following the new certification, the Nantes facility is now aligned with Microchip’s San Jose, California site as one of the company’s locations approved to MIL-PRF-38535 Classes Q, V and Y. In addition, the Nantes site maintains ESCC QML and AS9100:2018 certifications.
Microchip operates multiple qualification sites across the United States and Europe. Within the U.S., the Garden Grove, California location supports Class Q for analog and mixed-signal components. The Lawrence, Massachusetts facility provides capabilities under MIL-PRF-19500 and MIL-PRF-38534 Classes H and K, focused on discrete and hybrid microelectronics.
In Europe, Microchip’s Ennis, Ireland site is certified to MIL-PRF-19500 for discrete manufacturing. Collectively, these sites underpin the company’s ability to meet stringent standards for defense, aerospace, and space-related applications.
Overview of Microchip Qualification Footprint
| Location | Region | Key Certifications / Classes | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nantes, France | Europe | MIL-PRF-38535 QML Classes Q, V, Y; ESCC QML; AS9100:2018 | Advanced packaging, including non-hermetic solutions; support for PIC64-HPSC spaceflight computing |
| San Jose, California | United States | MIL-PRF-38535 Classes Q, V, Y | Qualified manufacturing for high-reliability semiconductor products |
| Garden Grove, California | United States | Class Q | Analog and mixed-signal devices |
| Lawrence, Massachusetts | United States | MIL-PRF-19500; MIL-PRF-38534 Classes H, K | Discrete and hybrid microelectronics |
| Ennis, Ireland | Europe | MIL-PRF-19500 | Discrete manufacturing |
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