March 5, 2002 ─ Beverly, MA ─ Semiconductor equipment manufacturer Axcelis Technologies, Inc. has opened a 140,000-square foot advanced technology center. The center houses approximately 1,200 sq. ft. of ISO Class 4, 1,000 sq. ft. of ISO Class 6, and 3,000 sq. ft. of ISO Class 7 cleanroom space.

The new facility is dedicated to the development of next generation semiconductor process development, product demonstrations and customer training. Axcelis spent $31 million on the new facility, which is located across from the company’s corporate headquarters in Beverly, MA.

"As a company that prides itself on innovation and technology leadership, Axcelis will not waver in its commitment to deliver best-in-class technology to the semiconductor manufacturing industry, " notes Mary Puma, president and CEO of Axcelis.

"Such a commitment has required smart investments in our people, facilities and technology development, even in the face of the worst downturn in this industry’s history. In the past year, we increased our overall investment in R&D by 10 percent and remained focused on our capital investment in the Advanced Technology Center, which is critical to supporting customers and meeting the semiconductor industry’s most complex manufacturing challenges," Puma adds.