LG Group

11/01/1996

South Korea`s LG Group, which acquired Epitaxy Systems Inc. last fall, has renamed the firm LG Epitaxy. LG Epitaxy is owned 50% by LG Siltron, which produces silicon wafers, 20% each by LG Semicon and LG Chemical, and 10% by LG International. They are investing about $10 million this year to upgrade and expand cleanroom facilities and add equipment at the unit`s Santa Clara, CA, facility, and spending another $4 million on R&D. Plans call for annual revenues to grow from today`s $10 million to more than $100 million by 2000, as epi materials become standard in advanced high-volume, processes including DRAM manufacture.

Through its subsidiary, Daifuku USA Inc., Daifuku Co. Ltd., a supplier of integrated material handling systems, has agreed to acquire Auto-Soft Corp., an automation software company. Auto-Soft has provided control software for many Daifuku installations. The acquisition will provide Daifuku access to the automation software resources of Auto-Soft to enhance its material handling capabilities. Auto-Soft will benefit from new opportunities in the US, Pacific Rim, and Europe.