Hampshire touch screen controllers are added to Microchip’s sensing solution portfolio of user interface products.

Microchip Technology, a provider of microcontroller and analogue semiconductors, announced it has acquired Hampshire Company. Hampshire is a provider of large format (typically with screen diameters greater than 5 inches) touch screen controllers. Hampshire provides customers with high quality universal touch screen controllers, along with application support and driver interface software.

“Hampshire has used its leading edge technology and know how to achieve a leadership position for touch screen controllers,” said Steve Sanghi, Microchip's President and CEO. “Microchip has already achieved very strong momentum with its mTouch sensing solution portfolio. Hampshire's portfolio of products will extend Microchip's leadership in universal touch screen controllers. Microchip intends to capitalise on Hampshire's leading technology to accelerate touch screen R&D for the next generation of touch screen controllers.”

“The combined capabilities of Hampshire and Microchip are expected to create unique opportunities in the growing touch screen market with the goal of creating a global standard for the touch screen interface,” says Carl Bauman, president of the Hampshire Company. “We are very excited that Microchip has added Hampshire's products to the Microchip mTouch portfolio of user interface products.”

The terms of the deal are confidential, and the deal is expected to be immediately accretive to Microchip's earnings.