April 24, 2008 — Carl Zeiss SMT , a global provider of electron- and ion-beam imaging and micro/nano analysis tools based in Germany, has officially opened its new North American headquarters in Peabody, Massachusetts, not far from Boston.
Representing an investment of more than $9 million, the 53,000 sq. ft. facility houses the R&D and production center for Zeiss’s Orion helium ion microscope product line, which claims unprecedented resolution for micro and nanotechnology discovery and development. The facility serves as the North American hub for sales and service for the complete family of Zeiss particle beam instruments and houses the Carl Zeiss Nano Solutions Center Peabody. This center is a comprehensive demonstration and application development facility hosting six of the latest generation electron- and ion-beam systems for nanoscale imaging, analysis and structuring.
The new headquarters is the home office for more than 150 highly skilled employees. Peabody, Massachusetts is also home to another major imaging tool supplier, JEOL USA.
In his grand opening address, board member Dirk Stenkamp noted that, “North America has positioned itself at the forefronts of nanotechnology for advanced materials, life sciences, and semiconductor research and development . . . The new Peabody facility will be a cornerstone of our worldwide growth strategy in the markets for nanotechnology.”
The president of Carl Zeiss SMT Inc., Frank P. Averdung, added, “We are better positioned than ever to provide a world class experience in nanoscale imaging, analysis and structuring for our North American customers — from academia to research and a wide array of industries. This includes joint research and development programs, applications development, sales and customer service and support activities.”
The first customers to use the new Orion technology include the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Center for Nanoscale Systems (CNS) at Harvard University, and the ´Carl Zeiss Innovation Center Dresden´ Germany — all striving to develop new breakthrough methods and application results using this new type of microscopy, which Zeiss calls “revolutionary.”