Micron buys Elpida: inches into second

Micron Semiconductors became the second largest memory manufacturer in the world today, announcing a $2.5 billion agreement to buy out DRAM maker Elpida. The deal includes a $750 million cash buy-out, giving Micron 100% equity. Elpida's assets include a 300mm DRAM fab facility in Japan. Along with assets acquired in an unrelated acquisition of equity in the Taiwanese Rexchip Electronics Corporation, Micron has increased its manufacturing capacity to 200,000 300mm wafers per month, more than 50% of its previous capacity.