AMD poaches manufacturing chief from IBM

Grose replaces Daryl Ostrander, who is retiring after finally managing to get the chip maker making enough bits and bobs to be a contender.

Historically AMD's delays or problems with manufacturing have stuffed the company up and kept Intel as the main chip producer.

Grose told CNET that AMD will also increasingly emphasise lean manufacturing techniques to reduce waste. He said something about a "grass-roots effort" so we hope AMD staff are not going be to fed grass in the canteen to save cash. Certainly a high-fibre grass diet will not reduce much waste.

Apparently there will also be more activity with the likes of Singapore's Chartered Semiconductor who have been producing chips for AMD. Grose likes this sort of partnership and is thinking of giving the outfit more to do.

Headhunting Grose will not cause too much bad blood between IBM and AMD they have been in a fairly comfortably long-term alliance to develop manufacturing technology. A large number of AMD's top executives came from Biggish Blue. µ