2000–Present
In 2001, the computer-making and Internet business were split. The Internet assets were merged with Interland Inc., which changed its name to web.com, and all ties to Micron Technology were severed. The computer-making operations were sold to Gores Technology Group, which later rebranded the MicronPC brand name to "MPC Computers". MPC Computers, owned by the MPC Corporation (formerly HyperSpace Communications, Inc.) operated out of nearby Nampa, ID. MPC declared bankruptcy in November 2008 and has ceased operations.
In 2002, armed with the Sherman Antitrust Act, the United States Department of Justice began a probe into the activities of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) manufacturers. US computer makers, including Dell and Gateway, claimed that inflated DRAM pricing was causing lost profits and hindering their effectiveness in the marketplace. To date, five manufacturers have pleaded guilty to their involvement in an international price-fixing conspiracy. These manufacturers are Hynix, Infineon, Micron Technology, Samsung, and Elpida. Micron Technology was not fined for its involvement, due to co-operation with investigators.
In 2005, Micron and Intel announced their agreement to form a new company, IM Flash Technologies in Lehi, Utah. The joint-venture would manufacture NAND Flash for both companies.
In June 2007, Steve Appleton gave up the title of President to COO Mark Durcan.
In March 2008, Micron launched Aptina Imaging, a spin-off of its CMOS Image Sensor Division. Aptina Imaging was partially sold to a group including TPG and Riverwood Capital, and became an independent, privately held company in July 2009. Micron remains a partial owner in the company.
On October 9, 2008, Micron announced a restructuring of its memory operations, with plans to reduce its global workforce by approximately 15 percent. Most of the layoffs were targeted for its headquarters in Boise, due to the elimination of a NAND-memory supply agreement. On October 12, the company announced the purchase of Qimonda's stake in Inotera technologies for $400 million.
On February 23, 2009, Micron announced that it would phase out 200mm wafer production operations at its Boise facility, resulting in the loss of an additional 2,000 jobs. In May 2009, the company acquired the FLCOS microdisplay company Displaytech.
On February 10, 2010, Micron agreed to buy flash-chip maker Numonyx for about $1.27 billion. Micron will issue 140 million shares to Numonyx investors: Intel Corporation, STMicroelectronics and Francisco Partners.
In April 2011, Micron and Intel opened a second joint-venture NAND Flash plant, IM Flash Singapore, in Singapore.
On February 3, 2012, the CEO, Steve Appleton, died in a small Lancair plane crash in Boise, Idaho.
On February 23, 2012, Micron Technology will become the largest shareholder of Inotera Memories, a major DRAM (dynamic random access memory) maker in Taiwan, after fully subscribing 763 million shares issued by Inotera for a capital increment of NT$5 billion via private placement.
On February 28, 2012, Micron and Intel announced that they would expand their NAND Flash memory joint venture relationship, to increase the flexibility and efficiency of the joint venture. Intel would sell its stake in IM Flash Singapore to Micron, along with its share of IM Flash Technologies assets in Micron's Manassas, Virginia plant. As a result, IM Flash Singapore became wholly owned by Micron and became its fourth facility in Singapore.
On July 2, 2012 Micron announced they would buy, for $2.5 billion, the bankrupt Elpida Memory a memory supplier for Apple Inc.. The move would is reported to double Micron's share of the memory market to 24%.
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