Tower Semiconductor's empire is built with sand -- the source of the silicon for making semiconductors. Tower offers contract manufacturing, or foundry services to chip makers. Touting some 200 kinds of chips, it specializes in producing embedded flash memories and CMOS image sensors. Digital signal processors, microprocessors, and microcontrollers are made, too. Top customers include Freescale Semiconductor, National Semiconductor, and SanDisk. Dodging head-to-head competition with industry giants Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and United Microelectronics, Tower targets niche markets for its services. Merging in 2008 with Jazz Semiconductor, the company integrates operations under the brand name TowerJazz.