06/28/2007 Gartner, Inc., finalized figures for the global semiconductor assembly and test services (SATS) market in 2006, indicating 26.5% growth, about 1% higher than previously indicated. This marks the fifth consecutive year this sector has exhibited double-digit growth. Revenues totaled $19.2 billion for the SATS industry.
06/28/2007 Sumitomo Precision Products Co. Ltd. (SPP) completed its acquisition of Primaxx, Inc., adding MEMS etch-release equipment to its businesses. SPP holds majority stake in Surface Technology Systems plc (STS) and considers Primaxx equipment complementary to STS's advanced deep silicon etch and deposition technologies. Primaxx plans to develop its MEMS business under SPP, as well as venturing into related fields, such as wafer-surface modification.
06/28/2007 Taiwan's government approved plans for four domestic packaging-and-test firms to invest in mainland China operations, relaxing restrictions on advanced technology outsourcing and investment in China. Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE), Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL), Greatek Electronics, and Walton Advanced Engineering received approval to operate packaging houses or invest in China subsidiaries.
06/28/2007 Although the commercialization of products enabled by flexible electronics continues to gain momentum, the market won't reach the multibillion-dollar mark for several years. That's the word from speakers at Flexible Displays and Electronics 2007, as Small Times' Tom Cheyney reports.
06/27/2007 June 27, 2007 - Targeting a cost-conservation angle for what it says is "the single largest consumable cost contributor for a fab," Applied Materials Inc. has opened a new 300mm wafer reclaim center in the Tainan Science-Based Industrial Park in Taiwan.
06/27/2007 June 27, 2007 - While the overall semiconductor industry limps along toward low-single-digit growth in 2007 (and maybe longer) due to oversupplies and punishing price declines, the record number of devices being shipped means better-than-expected growth for the semiconductor materials market, which could finish the year with 10% growth or more, according to data from SEMI.
06/27/2007 United Test and Assembly Center Ltd. (UTAC) confirmed that Affinity Equity Partners and TPG Capital, under a combined umbrella company, Global A&T Electronics, would acquire all issued ordinary shares in UTAC for up to $0.71–0.77/share in cash. The purchase is valued at about $2.2 billion.
06/27/2007 June 27, 2007 - Yet another private-equity maneuver is being attempted in the semiconductor industry's final manufacturing segment -- this time for Singapore firm United Test and Assembly Center Ltd. (UTAC).
06/27/2007 June 27, 2007 - Qimonda AG and Taiwan's Winbond Electronics Corp. have extended their DRAM foundry agreement, under which Qimonda will transfer 75nm and 58nm DRAM trench technology to Winbond's 300mm facility in Taichung, Taiwan.
06/27/2007 June 27, 2007 - FSI International says it has been granted a US patent (#7,235,495) for a surface preparation method of forming an ultrathin silicon oxide layer prior to depositing high-k film.
06/27/2007 June 11, 2007 -- /PRNewswire/ -- ALLENTOWN, PA -- Akrion, Inc., a leading supplier of semiconductor surface preparation equipment, today announced the sale of an E200 system for 200 mm semiconductor wafer cleaning to a fabrication plant in the United States.
06/27/2007 June 11, 2007 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued its official interpretation and explanation of the phrase "on site in one location" in the "Application" section of OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM) of Highly Hazardous Chemicals standard.
06/27/2007 June 12, 2007 -- Warrington, PA -- Tiger Optics, LLC, a manufacturer of laser-based trace gas analyzers, today announced that it has expanded its worldwide presence by forging new distributor partnerships in Europe and South Africa.
06/27/2007 June 12, 2007 -- /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PHOENIX, AZ -- White Electronic Designs Corporation announced today that it has received a contract worth approximately $3.0 million for the design and manufacture of a test strip for a blood monitoring application.
06/27/2007 June 13, 2007 -- /PRWEB/ -- BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- MicroVacuum Ltd., a manufacturer of real-time, label-free biosensor chips and OWLS analytical instrumentation, and Nanjing Sunshine Biotechnology Ltd. announced today a distribution agreement for the Chinese market.
06/27/2007 June 14, 2007 -- /PRNewswire/ -- TORONTO, ONTARIO -- Dalton Pharma Services today announced the company has entered into a long-term manufacturing services agreement with X-GEN Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharma company based in Big Flats, NY, focused on providing quality therapeutic options in both specialized disease areas and broad range treatment choices.
06/27/2007 Yole Développement will release a report on the RF MEMS switches market in July, outlining market potential in defense, industrial, automotive, and telecom applications. The report is in-line with forecasts by IDTechEx regarding end markets for RFID components, including medical, defense/aerospace/military, and telecom.
06/27/2007 Agilent's new HELIOS reactive magnetron thin-film coating system from Leybold Optics GmbH is the first to be installed in North America, and promises to help Agilent better serve nanotechnology measurement professionals and others needing precision optical solutions.
Agilent's new HELIOS reactive magnetron thin-film coating system from Leybold Optics GmbH is the first to be installed in North America, and promises to help Agilent better serve nanotechnology measurement professionals and others needing precision optical solutions.