ZiLOG, a designer of integrated microcontroller solutions, today kicked off its celebration of 30 years of innovation with the unveiling of a brand new 6000 square foot integrated circuit (IC) design center located within the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Industrial Park in the Pudong area of Shanghai.

Initially, the design center will be home to a group of specialized analog and digital design engineers. The facility will include design, layout and laboratory working areas and will comfortably accommodate up to 40 engineers. The center will be used to design analog and mixed signal microcontrollers, as well as embedded software applications. It will also support new product prototyping including interface with the company's Asian wafer manufacturing foundries for new Chinese-developed products.

"The Shanghai Design Center represents a significant step for ZiLOG and is an important element of our China business strategy," said ZiLOG chairman and chief executive officer Jim Thorburn. "It highlights our commitment to the regions of Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China, which currently represent around 50% of ZiLOG's total Asia revenue. Having such a facility enables ZiLOG to provide solutions in a timely manner for the growing microcontroller market in China."

Customers in the Greater China market are already designing ZiLOG devices into applications for industrial and factory automation, facility automation and energy management, portable GPRS terminals, biometrics, communication systems, IP appliances and remote diagnostic equipment.