STEAG Industrie merger with A.S.T. Elektronik

03/01/1997

STEAG Industrie merger with A.S.T. Elektronik

STEAG Industrie AG, Essen, Germany, a manufacturer of semiconductor wet processing equipment and CD resist processing equipment, has acquired a majority stake in A.S.T. Elektronik GmbH, a maker of rapid thermal processing equipment required for the production of ULSI chips. The merger, which became effective January 1, was made to improve STEAG`s position in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment market.

STEAG is represented in the wet processing equipment market by companies STEAG MicroTech GmbH, Pliezhausen, and STEAG MicroTech Inc. in Austin, TX. STEAG also has a presence in the CD resist processing equipment market with companies STEAG HamaTech GmbH and Sternenfels. In 1996, the STEAG companies reached total sales of more than DM 300 million (about US$183 million) and employed about 750 people.

A.S.T., based in Kirchheim near Munich, reached sales of about DM75 million (about US$45 million) last year and employed 200 people. A.S.T. owners and managing directors Peter Augustin and G?nter Kaltenbrunner will remain on as general managers of A.S.T. Elektronik after the switch-over to STEAG. They will also be involved on the managing board of the newly founded STEAG MicroTech International, a holding company for the entire process equipment activities within STEAG Industrie.

STEAG and A.S.T. held a press conference at the SEMICON/Korea show in Seoul to discuss the merger and its impact on Asian sales and service. - L.S.