Matra Harris Semiconductors SA (MHS) was created in 1979 as a joint venture between Matra, the French high technology group, and Harris Semiconductor, an American semiconductor manufacturer. In 1989, Harris withdrew from the partnership, and the name was changed to Matra MHS SA. Two years later, AEG purchased 50% of Matra and merged the unit with its Temic Semiconductor subsidiary.
In 1998, AEG purchased the remaining shares of the company and the name was shorted again, to MHS SA. In the same year, Atmel Corporation acquired Temic Semiconductor. Temic Semiconductor was renamed Atmel Wireless & Microcontrollers, and the MHS products were sold for a time under the name Atmel Nantes SA.
In 2005, XBYBUS acquired the silicon foundry operations of Atmel Nantes SA and renamed the company MHS Electronics (Microcomponents High Security). MHS Electronics operated as a foundry services company until February, 2011, when they were re-acquired by Atmel Corporation.
In 2016, Microchip bought Atmel for US$3.6 billion.
