Akrion about-faces, will support SCP’s Omni tools

October 9, 2006 – Reversing earlier intentions, Akrion Inc. says it will now fully support the CFM Omni line of SCP Global Technologies Inc. (SCP) which it acquired last month, though it won’t supply any new or refurbished Omni tools or develop any enhancements. Originally Akrion stated it would not support the tools beyond early 2007, and would instead offer upgrades to its own tools, e.g. the i-Clean batch immersion cleaning system.

“Response from Omni owners has indicated a desire for service and spare parts support to extend beyond that time,” the company said, in a statement, adding that it will institute a “buy-back” program to encourage customers to upgrade to its in-situ i-Clean product.

Last month Akrion agreed to acquire SCP, a Boise, ID-based provider of batch immersion tools, adding about $20 million to its projected 2007 revenues to bring them to “north of $135 million,” split roughly 50-50 between batch immersion and single-wafer tools, according to James Molinaro, Akrion president and CEO.

Absorbing SCP also “literally triples our installed base of equipment,” he told WaferNEWS, and provides access to a number of new tool bases and customers — notably, Infineon and partners Nanya and Inotera, who still mainly use wet benches, he said. Akrion also hopes to reverse a trend of significantly reduced investments from SCP’s largest legacy customer, Intel, and expand its installed base. Intel’s recent announcement that it hopes to avoid $1 billion in capex over the next year plays in Akrion’s favor, Molinaro noted, since the company can offer upgrades instead of brand-new tool purchases.

In July 2005 SCP sold its Emersion single-wafer hydrofluoric acid-last immersion technology and Marangoni clean/dry IP to Applied Materials Inc.

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