September 5, 2001 – Villach, Austria – The SEZ Group has opened its newest service and support center in Dresden, Germany. The location is of strategic importance for SEZ because it will be the primary source of support for the company’s installed tool base in the growing high-tech community in the Dresden area (Silicon Saxony).

Companies that already have manufacturing facilities in the Dresden area include AMD, Infineon SC 300, Max Planck Institute, Wacker, X-Fab, and ZMD. Additionally, this will represent the first German office outside of SEZ’s competence center for wet benches in Donaueschingen.

“SEZ’s significant client base in the area made Dresden a logical choice for the placement of a new European service and support center,” explained Herwig Petschnig, COO and chairman of the corporate executive board of the SEZ Group. “Now that our tools have been qualified for production in several fabs in this area, it is critical for SEZ to have the capability to offer immediate service and support.”

The Dresden facility will initially be staffed with local service engineers and a service coordinator on location. This local staff will be supported by service engineers based in Villach, if required.

The office will primarily support the Spin-Processor 300mm wafer surface preparation tools as well as 200mm models at a variety of customer sites. In the near future, SEZ will also support its multi-chamber Spin-Processors as well as its wet benches from this location.