Tag Archives: letter-materials-business

Today SEMI announced that the two-day Strategic Materials Conference (SMC) − devoted to materials technology and business drivers in the electronics supply chain − is slated for September 19-20 at San Jose’s Doubletree by Hilton Hotel. For over a decade, SMC has been the leading conference dedicated to electronic materials. The 2017 conference theme, Materials Accelerating Innovation, will delve into the demand drivers for new materials. A full conference agenda and registration details can be found here.

Electronic materials and processes will continue to enable the extension of semiconductor device development for the foreseeable future. SMC provides a comprehensive review of the economic and environmental influences, strategic and technical challenges, and regional trends. The conference also highlights opportunities in adjacent markets and basic research activities feeding the supply chain. Presentations by industry thought leaders, academics, and analysts will analyze technologies and trends enabling extension of innovative solutions in wafer processing. SMC 2017 sessions include:

  • Keynotes:
    • Mark Papermaster, CTO and senior VP, AMD
    • Dave Hemker, CTO and senior VP, Lam Research
    • Sunny Hui, senior VP, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC)
  • Economic/Market Trends: The Consolidation Game (M&A), China, 200mm & More: Experts weigh in on trends in materials and semiconductor equipment growth, demand, and applications, as well as the impact of the global economy on the semiconductor market.
  • Process Challenges at 5nm & Beyond: Leading-edge transistor development is focused on scaling and connecting vertical structures for advanced designs bringing new process and material challenges, requiring collaboration across the semiconductor supply chain.
  • Universities − Innovation Drivers: University research has been key to enabling the industry’s exponential growth. As the industry faces daunting challenges, the role of university research in materials is more critical than ever.
  • The Future of Materials Market in China: Speakers from government, suppliers, and multi-nationals will discuss China’s semiconductor materials industry, government policies, growth opportunities, and best practices for operating in this expanding environment.
  • Materials Supply Chain Challenges in Adjacent Industries: Electronic devices take many forms beyond silicon. Flexible electronics, embedded memory, medical devices, automotive electronics, Flat Panel Displays, and OLEDs have unique challenges.
  • Heterogeneous Integration – Implications on Materials & Packaging: With 10nm fab budgets estimated at up to $10 billion, “sticker shock” has set in. Enter Heterogeneous Integration — integrating separately manufactured components into higher-level assemblies to enable expanded functionality at a lower cost than traditional scaling.
  • Panel Discussion – Business Strategy and Collaboration Model:  Panelists will address current and emerging material challenges through focused R&D Investment, collaboration throughout the vertical supply chain, and application of innovative business strategy to ensure win-win for all participating companies.

The Strategic Materials Conference attracts the key players from every segment of the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The conference provides comprehensive, in-depth content and exceptional networking opportunities for professionals who share strategic objectives for the electronics manufacturing ecosystem. To learn more and to register, visit www.semi.org/SMC.

Air Products (NYSE: APD), an industrial gases company, today announced it has recently received multiple, long-term supply awards from semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturers in China as the country’s electronics manufacturing industry continues to boom.

Industrial gases supply contracts awarded to Air Products over the past 12 months call for the investment in six industrial gas plants and a pipeline network for the supply of gaseous nitrogen and oxygen, as well as other bulk gases. These facilities will support existing and new customers in key electronics clusters and industrial parks in China’s major economic regions, including the Yangtze River Delta in Eastern China, Pearl River Delta in Southern China, and Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region in Northern China.

“We are greatly honored to be selected by our existing as well as new customers to support their growth plans in China. These wins speak volumes about their confidence in our capabilities,” said Saw Choon Seong, China president, Industrial Gases at Air Products. “Air Products has been serving the China market for 30 years. These recent strategic investments reflect our continued commitment to supporting the fast-paced development of electronics manufacturing customers here who are gaining new momentum for growth under the country’s 13th Five-Year Plan and ‘Made in China 2025′ initiative. We will continue to bring our scale, innovation, and reliable and safe supply to enable them to thrive.”

The Chinese Government has a strong commitment to boosting development of the electronics industry. One initiative is the establishment of the National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, commonly known as the Big Fund, to invest roughly USD 20 billion from 2014 through 2017 in the country’s semiconductor industry. In addition, local governments have also set up regional-level funds totalling around USD 100 billion to promote key technologies and major projects.

Air Products’ wins over the past 12 months include some landmark projects in China’s electronics industry, and some are state-level projects, such as:

  • A new memory fab in the Fujian (Jinjiang) Integrated Circuit Industrial Park in Fujian Province, Southern China; and
  • A new foundry in the Pukou Economic Development Zone (PKEDZ) in Eastern China, a state-level high-tech park which will be home to advanced manufacturing and is only 35 kilometers away from the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park (NCIP). Air Products has already built a leading position in the NCIP serving several hundred customers in the park and across Nanjing through pipelines and various supply modes.

Air Products has been an industrial gases supplier to the global electronics industry for over 40 years. In China, the company has been serving many world-leading and domestic manufacturers in the development of next generation electronics devices by leveraging its strong and reliable supply network across the country. One example is the supply to one of China’s most advanced fabs, which is located in Xian City, Western China, and is owned and operated by a leading global semiconductor company. Air Products is also supplying the country’s highest-generation, most advanced and most efficient TFT-LCD (thin-film transistor liquid crystal display) fab located in the Banan Jieshi IT Industrial Park in Chongqing City, Western China.

Soitec, a designer and manufacturer of semiconductor materials for the electronics industry, has appointed Stephen Lin to the newly created position of vice president of strategic business development in China, a key region for the company’s future growth plans. Stephen Lin brings to Soitec nearly 30 years of experience leading semiconductor business operations in China and the U.S.

“Working with our executive team, Stephen is in charge of strengthening Soitec’s business interests within China as well as growing market demand for SOI wafer products,” said Thomas Piliszczuk, Soitec’s executive vice president, Business and Strategic Development. “Stephen will be instrumental in our efforts to continue growing China’s microelectronics ecosystem as he works closely with our customers as well as government agencies, institutions and the financial and investor communities.”

China is home to all key elements of the electronics value chain including semiconductor manufacturers, fabless device designers, and consumer end markets. Soitec is already highly engaged in China, working to expand the semiconductor ecosystem while also driving demand for silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer products with its direct and indirect customers. The company also collaborates closely with its Shanghai-based manufacturing partner Simgui and the National Silicon Industry Group (NSIG), which recently invested in Soitec.

Since beginning his semiconductor career at LSI Logic, Stephen Lin has held senior executive positions within several major electronics companies including NXP Semiconductors, Microsemi, Intel and Siemens. He also has launched start-up companies in China and the U.S. including Mobility Ventures. He earned his master in electrical engineering degree from McGill University in Quebec and his MBA from Santa Clara University in California. He is the author of multiple publications including “The Fabless Semiconductor China Handbook.”

Avantor Performance Materials, LLC, announced today the acquisition of Puritan Products, Inc., a supplier of cGMP buffers and solutions for Biopharma customers, and high-purity chemistries for Research and Electronic Materials customers.

Avantor is a global supplier of ultra-high-purity materials for the life sciences and advanced technology markets. The company provides performance materials and solutions for the production and research needs of approximately 7,900 customers across the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostics, aerospace & defense, and semiconductor industries.

“The addition of Puritan is a key next step in our growth plans, as it provides access to new customers in the U.S. and Europe, a broader portfolio of high-purity products for the Biopharma, Research and Electronic Materials industries, and access to additional capabilities, including new cGMP operations and talented new colleagues,” said Michael Stubblefield, CEO of Avantor. “The addition of Puritan’s operations, equipment and sourcing of raw materials offer our customers an additional layer of supply chain security, a key element of the Avantor value proposition.”

Avantor will begin the process of integrating Puritan into the company immediately. Customers will now have access to the J.T.Baker, Macron Fine Chemicals and Puritan brands of high-purity products, as well as Avantor’s other portfolio of brands, including NuSil brand high-purity biomaterials and silicone.

“The Puritan business complements Avantor’s platform very well, particularly the focus on quality manufacturing and regulatory compliance – two areas that are critical in the life science industry,” continued Stubblefield.

Brewer Science announced the achievement of Zero Waste to Landfill Certification for the second consecutive year. GreenCircle Certified, LLC (GreenCircle), has completed extensive audits to verify that the Rolla and Vichy Brewer Science manufacturing locations contribute zero waste to landfills. The certification is valid through 2017 and can be viewed in GreenCircle’s Certified Product Database.

Brewer Science is regarded as a champion for environmental responsibility in the microelectronics and semiconductor industry and is the only business in the industry to achieve Zero Waste to Landfill Certification through GreenCircle. Brewer Science remains committed to a robust environmental management system with the objective of preventing pollution of the environment and providing a healthy, safe, and secure workplace.

For many years Brewer Science leadership has made it a priority to lead an environmentally responsible organization. Some of the initiatives include:

  • In 2002, Brewer Science instituted a mini-bin recycling program, a simple step that had a huge impact. To date, over 597 tons of waste have been recycled.
  • At its headquarters in Rolla, Missouri, Brewer Science promotes a community collection program. Through partnering with waste disposal companies and volunteer crews, they have collected more than 800,000 pounds of appliances, electronics, and tires that would have otherwise been a part of a landfill.
  • In 2015, a giant trash compactor known as “Big Blue” found a home in Brewer Science’s Rolla facility. Big Blue collects and compacts tons of non-recyclable waste and sends it to a waste-to-energy facility. The waste is combusted to produce enough electricity to power four houses for a month.
  • Brewer Science also diverts some of its waste into fuel blending processes, resulting in the conversion of over 520,000 pounds of waste into fuel that can replace natural gas and coal.

Intermolecular, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMI) today announced a restructuring initiative to improve the overall effectiveness and efficiency of their materials services. In IMI’s statement, the company believes these changes will help IMI  become more customer-responsive and efficient while lowering costs by approximately $4M in 2017.

“Since joining IMI in August, I have been focused on building a broader and higher velocity pipeline to help grow our top line,” said Chris Kramer, president and Chief Executive Officer.  “The improvements made since September have centered on strengthening our commercial team, implementing a new approach towards building the sales pipeline and deepening our customer engagement.  Improving our effectiveness and efficiency is the next important step in our plan to grow IMI business and achieve profitability.”

The changes reflect the ongoing efforts to achieve IMI’s commercial, technical and financial objectives along the following lines:

  • Rapidly transition IMI into a more focused and nimble organization to create more value and move more quickly towards profitability
  • Focus primarily on materials innovation services for the semiconductor industry and its supply chain
  • Strengthen existing/returning customer relationships while building the sales pipeline with new clients
  • Focus on a limited R&D program in support of key services opportunities and licensed products

“I am confident the changes we are making will put IMI in a far better position for future growth and success,” added Kramer. “IMI provides highly valuable and needed materials innovation services now and for the future of the semiconductor industry.”

Concurrent to the restructuring initiative, IMI announced changes in its leadership team:

  • Bruce McWilliams, currently Executive Chairman, to transition to non-executive Chairman
  • Bill Roeschlein, currently Vice President of Finance and Corporate Controller to be named Chief Financial Officer following the retirement of Rick Neely

“Since Chris joined IMI in August 2016, he has demonstrated strong leadership and business acumen,” said Bruce McWilliams, Chairman of the Board. “In the last six months, he has focused on increasing IMI’s visibility, developing new customers and strengthening customer relationships while increasing the efficiency of our operation. Chris is an excellent executive and seasoned leader and I am looking forward to continuing to support him in his leadership role.”

“Bruce and Rick have been integral to IMI’s leadership team over the past years. I would like to thank them for the great expertise and support they have provided during my initial months at IMI,” said Kramer.  “I look forward to continuing to work with Bruce in his new role as non-executive Chairman and wish Rick all the best in his well-deserved retirement.  The Board and I know Bill very well, and we are confident he will do an outstanding job leading IMI’s financial activities going forward.”

Bill Roeschlein has served as IMI Vice President of Finance since August 2015.  Mr. Roeschlein has extensive experience as a finance executive. Prior to joining IMI, he was CFO at Aurora Algae, Power Integrations (POWI) and Determine Software, Inc. (formerly Selectica, Inc.). He also held senior financial management positions at Ultra Clean Technology, Asyst Technologies and Hewlett Packard.  Mr. Roeschlein is a CPA, with an MBA from Cornell University and a BA from UCLA.

Versum Materials, Inc. (NYSE: VSM), a materials supplier to the semiconductor industry, announced today it received the “Excellent Performance Award” by the world’s largest dedicated semiconductor foundry, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC). TSMC maintains a rigorous supply chain, and each year recognizes its most valuable suppliers who have made an outstanding contribution to the supply of advanced materials and equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing processes. On February 23, 2017, Versum Materials received the prestigious “Excellent Performance Award” from TSMC in the Taiwanese city of Hsinchu for its contributions to TSMC.

SMC recognized Versum Materials for developing a new formulated post etch residue remover, a sustainable alternative to the material previously supplied for cleaning aluminum interconnects and pads. The new product advances TSMC’s green manufacturing initiatives by removing undesirable organic solvents in the product, process and eventually the waste stream. Furthermore, the new product reduces the required number of post-cleaning steps and cuts energy use during the manufacturing process at TSMC.

TSMC also credited Versum Materials for the positive impact its increased local presence had around improving the development responsiveness and cycle time affiliated with the new product development in the advanced materials realm. Additionally, TSMC cited superior technical support and reliable supply for our precursor offerings in the Advanced Deposition Materials (ADM) platform.

“We thank TSMC for recognizing Versum Materials with this prestigious award. The development of this new product demonstrates the importance of collaborating with our customers to drive technology forward, while also creating differentiated value for the customer. By working closely together with TSMC, we helped to further reduce their products’ environmental footprints,” stated Edward Shober, Senior Vice President, Materials at Versum Materials. “This award reflects the commitment that the entire company provides to TSMC, including our marketing, commercial, technology, operations, supply chain, procurement, EH&S and engineering teams.”

Entegris Inc. (NASDAQ: ENTG), a manufacturer of specialty chemicals and advanced materials handling solutions for the microelectronics industry, today announced it has signed an agreement with Spectrum Materials (Fujian) Co., Ltd. to expand its presence in China. According to the agreement, Spectrum Materials, a manufacturer and distributor of specialty chemicals, will manufacture Entegris specialty chemicals products at Spectrum Materials’ Quanzhou facility.

“We are excited about this partnership, as it will significantly improve our capabilities to meet growing demands for specialty chemicals in the industries we serve,” stated Entegris Senior Vice President of Specialty Chemicals and Engineered Materials, Stuart Tison. “Spectrum Materials is a well-established company in China that has experience supplying related high-purity chemicals and shares our expectations for quality and manufacturing standards. As we have done in other global regions, we continue to look for ways to better serve our customers and to add value with local collaboration, business processes and resources.”

Entegris currently manufactures specialty chemicals in both the U.S. and South Korea and has business operations in Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an, China. The partnership with Spectrum Materials will expand its capability in China and shorten its supply chain for Chinese customers. This relationship is part of a broader strategic commitment by Entegris to support the growing semiconductor and related microelectronics industries in China.

“We are pleased to partner with Entegris in the manufacturing of its industry-leading specialty chemical products in China,” said President of Spectrum Materials, Guofu Chen. “Our new expansion, combined with Entegris manufacturing technology, establishes a world-class facility for the production of Entegris’ semiconductor grade specialty chemicals in China.”

Spectrum Materials will use a copy-exact manufacturing process to match existing Entegris processes and equipment and will implement the same quality control system in the manufacturing process.

Versum Materials, Inc. (NYSE: VSM), a materials supplier to the semiconductor industry, announced today that it would expand its manufacturing capacity at its Delivery Systems and Service (DS&S) headquarters in Allentown, Pennsylvania. To support customer demand and the growth in its DS&S business, new positions will be created for highly skilled technicians, engineers, quality control personnel, and manufacturing and support staff.

The timing of the expansion aligns with the 25th anniversary of manufacturing at the Allentown location. The 31,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility was established in 1992 as the Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturing Center (SEMC) of Air Products, which Versum Materials spun-off from in October 2016. The facility will be rebranded Vultee Street as part of this announcement.

The manufacturing capacity expansion will serve the semiconductor, LCD and LED markets around the globe with gas and chemical delivery equipment designed to meet their precise purity and safety requirements. This investment will increase the production of Versum Materials’ line of GASGUARD ultra-high purity specialty gas equipment and CHEMGUARD chemical delivery equipment.

Last year, Versum Materials increased capacity at its DS&S manufacturing location in Ansan, South Korea, where in addition to the above-mentioned equipment, it produces a line of GASKEEPER specialty gas equipment designed specifically for the region.

“We are excited about our prospects for growth in the industry and supporting our valued customers with state-of-the-art, high-purity equipment. We are enhancing our manufacturing capacity to keep pace with our customers’ increasing requirements for more flexibility and shorter lead times,” said Jeff White, vice president and general manager of DS&S.

The company expects the expansion of the Allentown facility to be complete this spring. A list of open positions can be found on the company’s career page.

Materion Corporation (NYSE:MTRN) announced today that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of the target materials business of the Heraeus Group, of Hanau, Germany, for approximately $30 million.

The acquisition strengthens Materion’s position in precious and non-precious target materials for the architectural and automotive glass, photovoltaic, display and semiconductor markets. The business, now operating within the Materion Advanced Materials business segment, is expected to generate approximately $50 to $60 million in new value-added sales on an annualized basis and be accretive to 2017 earnings. Materion Advanced Materials reported value-added sales of $176.3 million in 2016.

Through this transaction, Materion’s Advanced Materials segment gains target manufacturing capability in Europe, Asia and the U.S., as well as new technologies and a highly specialized workforce of 135 employees.

Donald G. Klimkowicz, President, Materion Advanced Materials, commented, “Beyond accelerating and solidifying our global materials offering in semiconductor and display, the acquisition provides diversification, critical mass and new opportunities in other growing target-related areas where Materion has not enjoyed as strong a position including glass and photovoltaic. This truly is a winning combination.”

Added Materion Chief Executive Officer Richard J. Hipple, “This transaction is the latest in a series of advanced materials acquisitions made by Materion since 2005 to augment our growth and further our diversification into a leading advanced materials organization. I am very excited about the prospects for future growth that this acquisition brings us in existing and new markets, and how closely the values and culture of the Heraeus employees who join us match with our own. We welcome them to the Materion family.”

Materion Corporation is headquartered in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, supplies highly engineered advanced enabling materials to global markets. Products include precious and non-precious specialty metals, inorganic chemicals and powders, specialty coatings, specialty engineered beryllium alloys, beryllium and beryllium composites, and engineered clad and plated metal systems.