In the microelectronics industry, a semiconductor fabrication plant (commonly called a fab; sometimes foundry) is a factory where devices such as integrated circuits are manufactured.. A business that operates for the purpose of fabricating the designs of other companies, such as fabless semiconductor companies, is known as a semiconductor fab, or a foundry.

The foundry model is a microelectronics engineering and manufacturing business model consisting of a semiconductor fabrication plant, or foundry, and an integrated circuit design operation, each belonging to separate companies or subsidiaries. , , , Integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) design and manufacture integrated circuits.

The foundry landscape is a diverse segment of the semiconductor value chain. Some are global giants, with billions of dollars in annual revenue, while others focus on narrower specialty products, such as automotive chip sets or the processors that run consumer-electronics products.