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SkyWater Technology Foundry, the industry’s most advanced U.S.-based and U.S.-owned trusted foundry, announced today that it has appointed Steve Wold as Chief Financial Officer. Steve has more than 25 years of leadership experience, holding a variety of senior corporate finance roles. He brings a rich background to the company in capital markets, including equity, corporate financing and recapitalizations, and risk management. Steve succeeds Bart Zibrowski, who will move on to the role of Vice-Chairman for the company.

“As we complete our foundry transformation in 2018, I am delighted to welcome Steve Wold to SkyWater as our new CFO,” said Thomas Sonderman, President, SkyWater Technology Foundry. “With his background in high-performance growth organizations, Steve is ideally suited to help us deliver on our long-term vision. I’d also like to thank Bart Zibrowski for the tremendous job he did in putting a strong foundation in place for our finance organization over the last year as we created the company.” 

Steve comes to SkyWater Technology Foundry after most recently serving as a key member of the leadership team of Arctic Cat Inc. (formerly ACAT – NASDAQ), where he was instrumental in completing the sale of the company to Textron Inc. in 2017. Prior to that, he was at Orbital ATK (OA – NYSE) for 18 years, where he was focused on transforming processes, change management, and driving operational efficiencies, as the company grew from approximately $1 billion to over $5 billion in revenue. Steve began his career as a CPA with Deloitte Audit and Assurance for over 7 years, where he focused on providing services to both publicly traded and privately held manufacturing entities. He holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of North Dakota, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Minnesota Society of CPAs. 

SkyWater is a U.S.-based technology foundry, specializing in the development and manufacturing of a wide variety of differentiated semiconductor manufacturing solutions.

Beijing NAURA Microelectronics Equipment Co.,Ltd. (“NAURA”) and Akrion Systems LLC today jointly announced that the previously announced acquisition by NAURA has been completed. As a result of the closing of the transaction, NAURA Akrion Inc. (“NAURA Akrion”), a wholly owned subsidiary of NAURA in the United States, acquired Akrion’s surface preparation business.

“We are very pleased to have completed the transaction,” said Mr. Michael Ioannou, NAURA Akrion CEO. “Enhanced by the strong strategic and financial support of our new investors, the company’s future is brighter than ever. We are excited to continue building and growing NAURA Akrion into a global leader in wet-processing systems as part of NAURA.”

“The successful completion of the transaction will enhance NAURA’s cleaning equipment product line rapidly, and allow it to cover the integrated circuit chip process including Pre Film Deposition Clean, PR Strip, Backside Clean, Wafer Reclaim, Post Etch Clean, SiN/Oxide Etch,Post Metal Deposition and Al pad clean, and other Wet technologies. This is a strong upgrade of NAURA’s surface preparation business and will boost NAURA’s overall market competitiveness.” Commented by Mr. Jinrong Zhao, President & CEO of NAURA. “Upon completion of the transaction, the new entity NAURA Akrion will continue to focus on and promote the existing line of 8-12 inch batch and single wafer systems designed for integrated circuit chip manufacturing, silicon wafer fabrication, MEMS and advanced packaging. NAURA Akrion will invest resources in R&D on new application development, new process development and new product development. It will also stay customer-focused and continue to support existing and future customers worldwide with expanded product and solutions.

Acuity Advisors LLP, a UK based M&A technology advisory firm, served as the financial advisor and Perkins Coie served as the legal advisor to Akrion Systems LLC. Needham & Company served as the financial advisor, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP served as the US legal advisor to NAURA.

NAURA Akrion is a supplier of advanced surface preparation systems and processes used in the manufacture of solar, semiconductor and related devices.

2018FLEX, the Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE) Conference and Exhibition, will bring together more than 600 experts from around the world for business-critical insights and the latest technology in both flexible electronics and MEMS and sensors. 2018FLEX – February 13-15 in Monterey, California – will spotlight FHE innovation drivers in smart medtech, smart automotive, smart manufacturing, Internet of Things (IoT) and consumer electronics. The event, hosted by SEMI FlexTech, will feature more than 100 market and technical presentations, 60 exhibits, short courses and opportunities to connect with industry visionaries.

This year 2018FLEX will co-locate with the MEMS & Sensors Technical Congress (MSTC). February 13-14, MSTC will highlight leading-edge MEMS and sensors system-level solutions, technology and applications. Click here to register for both events.

The flexible and printed electronics markets are expected to reach $20 billion by 2022, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.5 percent from 2016 to 2022, according to Zion Research. Flexible hybrid electronics and printed electronics enable new form factors and economics for a diverse set of applications. Examples include minimally invasive implantable systems that treat major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the ability to repair or reproduce failed devices during space exploration, and head-up displays (HUDs) that will use ultra-thin holographic films to project transparent images on car windshields for safer driving.

“Global demand for technical expertise on materials, manufacturing and component technologies in FHE and printed electronics is rapidly growing,” said Melissa Grupen-Shemansky, CTO, Flexible Electronics and Advanced Packaging, SEMI. “2018FLEX offers the latest business and technology insights into applications such as flexible biosensors, flexible displays, drones, smart packaging, 3D printing and human-machine interfaces.”

2018FLEX will also showcase the latest technologies and solutions developed by contractors involved in the public/private research and development funding programs in FlexTech, NanoBio Manufacturing Consortium (NBMC), and NextFlex.

Keynotes headlining 2018FLEX will include:

  • Cortera Neurotechnologies – Minimally invasive implantable biosensors for treating major psychiatric illnesses
  • NASA – In-Space Manufacturing, a multi-material Fab Lab for the International Space Station
  • Luminit – Holographic Optical Element technologies for automotive HUD
  • Panasonic – Flexible hybrid electronics applications for lithium-ion batteries
  • Draper Labs – Flexible drones

2018FLEX will also highlight these exciting technologies:

  • Bonbouton – Graphene-based smart insoles for preventative diabetic healthcare
  • PARC – Latest application projects in environmental monitoring, wearables and supply chain solutions
  • Tekscan – Thin, flexible, tactile sensing technology for intelligent surgical, diagnostic and home healthcare applications

About 2018FLEX

The Flexible Electronics Conference and Exhibition (2018FLEX), now in its 17th year, will be held at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa in Monterey. Highlights will include significant technical achievements, opportunities and challenges within the FHE and printed electronics industries.

Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation today announces its corporate name change to pSemi™ Corporation, a Murata company focused on semiconductor integration. The name change coincides with two major milestones—the company’s 30-year anniversary of RF-CMOS innovation and the shipment of its 4 billionth chip. pSemi will serve as Murata’s semiconductor arm and is tasked with growing rapidly to support its expanding product portfolio and the hiring of engineers and professionals globally.

The new name is derived from Peregrine Semiconductor and reflects its proud 30-year history. pSemi will have the same experienced semiconductor team at the helm, but it will have a broader scope and an expanded product portfolio. Building on its strong foundation in RF integration, pSemi’s product portfolio will span power management, connected sensors, optical transceivers, antenna tuning and RF frontends.

“We’ve challenged the pSemi team to broaden their scope, increase their intellectual property (IP) portfolio and grow on a global scale to support more semiconductor innovations,” says Norio Nakajima, senior executive vice president, module business unit at Murata. “As a Murata company, pSemi will leverage the breadth of Murata’s manufacturing and technology leadership, while maintaining a level of autonomy that accelerates its path to semiconductor integration. pSemi will serve as the hub for Murata’s semiconductor activities, and we are investing in its aggressive growth strategy to fuel our move into more advanced and intelligent modules.”

Under the new name, pSemi celebrates its 30-year anniversary of RF-CMOS semiconductor technology innovation and the shipment of its 4 billionth chip. The 4 billionth chip was shipped in an order to Samsung. In Jan. 1988, the company’s founders published a research paper that served as the foundation for Peregrine’s UltraCMOS® technology platform. This paper was the first of many semiconductor technology innovations the company would build upon over its history.

“As pSemi celebrates these significant milestones, we reflect on the company’s history,” says Stefan Wolff, CEO of pSemi. “Over a span of three decades, many industry firsts were achieved, such as CMOS switches, SOI power amplifiers and mmWave beamforming. Our patent portfolio continues to grow and is now ranked as one of the technology world’s most valuable patent portfolios, and finally, we became a Murata company. The launch of pSemi is the next chapter in this company’s history. I am grateful to Murata for selecting us for this important growth strategy, and I am honored to lead this incredible team forward. With pSemi, we are building the ‘dream team’ of engineers, and we need more talented people to join us.”

With the new name, pSemi also launches a new logo and company website. The name change is effective immediately and will be rolled out across new products. Legacy Peregrine Semiconductor products will remain branded under the Peregrine Semiconductor name and logo and will be supported by the same sales teams, distributors and applications engineers.

ASML Holding N.V. (ASML) today announces that the Supervisory Board intends to appoint Roger Dassen as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to the Board of Management, subject to notification of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for April 25, 2018. Dassen succeeds Wolfgang Nickl who will leave ASML at the end of April (as announced on 12 September 2017). Roger Dassen (age 52) will join ASML on June 1, 2018.

Roger Dassen is the Global Vice Chairman, Risk, Regulatory, and Public Policy of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL). In this capacity, he also serves as the Global Chief Ethics Officer and a member of the DTTL Executive. Dassen is a former CEO of Deloitte Netherlands. He has been a Deloitte Netherlands audit partner since 1996 and has served as advisory partner and/or global LCSP for a number of the firm’s largest clients.

Dassen is professor of auditing at the Free University of Amsterdam. He has a master’s degree in economics and business administration, and a PhD in business and economics from the University of Maastricht.

“We are very pleased to have Roger Dassen join us as our CFO. We welcome his deep financial expertise and broad managerial experience. The Board of Management is confident that he will quickly integrate into our senior management team to support ASML in delivering our company’s growth objectives,” said Peter Wennink, President and Chief Executive Officer at ASML.

ASML is a manufacturer of chip-making equipment.

Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ:LFUS) today announced the completion of its acquisition of IXYS Corporation (NASDAQ:IXYS). IXYS is a global pioneer in the power semiconductor market with a focus on medium- to high-voltage power semiconductors across the industrial, communications, consumer and medical device markets.

“Today marks a significant step forward in our company strategy to accelerate growth within the power control and industrial OEM markets,” said Dave Heinzmann, President and Chief Executive Officer of Littelfuse. “The combination of our companies brings together a broad power semiconductor portfolio, complementary technology expertise and a strong talent pool.”

The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to adjusted EPS. Littelfuse expects to achieve more than $30 million of annualized cost savings within the first two years after closing. The combination is also expected to create significant revenue synergy opportunities longer term, given the companies’ complementary offerings and combined customer base.

In conjunction with the close of the transaction, IXYS founder Dr. Nathan Zommer has been appointed to the Littelfuse Board of Directors, increasing the size of the board to nine members.

With today’s transaction close, each former IXYS stockholder is entitled to receive, per IXYS share held immediately prior to the closing, either $23.00 in cash or 0.1265 of a share of Littelfuse common stock. In total, 50% of IXYS stock was converted into the cash consideration and 50% into the stock consideration.

As the demand for super-large TV displays grow, the need for higher resolution is set to increase, seeing the first uses of 8K display in 2018, according to IHS Markit (Nasdaq: INFO).

While ultra-high definition (UHD) panels are estimated to account for more than 98 percent of the 60-inch and larger display market in 2017, most TV panel suppliers are planning to mass produce 8K displays in 2018. The 7680 x 4320 pixel resolution display is expected to make up about 1 percent of the 60-inch and larger display market this year and 9 percent in 2020, according to the Display Long-term Demand Forecast Tracker report by IHS Markit.

60-inch_and_larger_TV_panel_shipment_forecast_by_resolution

“As UHD has rapidly replaced full HD in the super large-sized TV display market, panel makers are willing to supply differentiated products with higher resolution and improve profit margin with premium products,” said Ricky Park, director at IHS Markit. “Year 2018 will become the first year of the 8K resolution TV display.”

Innolux started developing 8K panels in 2017 and produced its first ever 8K LCD TV display (60Hz, 65-inch) in the fourth quarter of 2017. The display will be supplied to Sharp TV and Chinese brands in the beginning. Meanwhile, Sharp has also mass produced its first 8K LCD TV display at 70-inch in the last quarter of 2017 to support the Sharp TV brand in China.

Looking at the 8K display roadmap in 2018, it appears that Samsung Electronics and Sony are driving the market at this time. They plan to release their flagship 8K TV models in 2018. Samsung and Sony will consume almost all 120Hz 8K panels from Innolux, AUO and Samsung Display, with sizes varying from 65 to 75 and 85 inches.

BOE and CEC-Panda are now planning to develop 8K LCD TV panels in the second half of 2018 and taking on a differentiation strategy, LG Display will likely focus on developing OLED 8K panel in the future. LG Display unveiled the world’s first 88-inch 8K OLED TV display at CES 2018.

Based on current plans, panel makers in the early stages of development will mostly develop 60Hz 8K displays based on a-Si technology, and those in the next stages are also likely to develop 120Hz 8K displays based on oxide technology. The latter has advantages, such as better aperture ratio and lower power consumption.

Picosun Oy, a supplier of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) thin film coating technology for global industries, partners with STMicroelectronics S.r.l. to develop the next generation 300mm production solutions for advanced power electronics.

Power electronic components are right at the heart of many core elements of our society, where energy saving, sparing use of natural resources, and CO2 emission reductions are called for to provide for sustainable future. Energy production with renewables such as wind and solar, clean transportation with electric vehicles and trains, and industrial manufacturing with energy-smart power management and factory automation are key markets where the demand for advanced power components is increasing.

Most power semiconductor industries use 200 mm wafers as substrates. Transfer to 300 mm enables more efficient, ecological, and economical production through larger throughputs with relatively smaller material losses, and adaptation of novel manufacturing processes such as ALD allows smaller chip sizes with increased level of integration.

As a part of the funded project R3-POWERUP (*), Picosun’s PICOPLATFORM™ 300 ALD cluster tool will be optimized and validated for 300 mm production of power electronic components. The SEMI S2 certified PICOPLATFORM™ 300 cluster tool consists of two PICOSUN™ P-300S ALD reactors, one dedicated for high-k dielectric oxides and one for nitrides, connected together and operated under constant vacuum with a central vacuum robot substrate handling unit. The ALD reactors are equipped with Picosun’s proprietary Picoflow™ feature which enables conformal ALD depositions in high aspect ratios up to 1:2500 and even beyond. Substrate loading is realized with an EFEM with FOUP ports. The fully automated cluster tool can be integrated into the production line and connected to factory host via SECS/GEM interface.

“Our PICOPLATFORM™ 300 cluster tools have already proven their strength in conventional IC applications, so expansion to the power semiconductors is only natural. We are very pleased to work with a company such as STMicroelectronics to tailor and validate our 300mm ALD production solutions to this rapidly growing market. This is also a prime opportunity both to contribute to the future of European semiconductor industries, and to utilize ALD to provide technological solutions to the global ecological and societal challenges such as climate change and dwindling natural resources,” summarizes Juhana Kostamo, Managing Director of Picosun.

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 71.6 million units in the fourth quarter of 2017, a 2 percent decline from the fourth quarter of 2016, according to preliminary results by Gartner, Inc. For the year, 2017 PC shipments surpassed 262.5 million units, a 2.8 percent decline from 2016. It was the 13th consecutive quarter of declining global PC shipments, as well as the sixth year of annual declines. However, Gartner analysts said there were some signs for optimism.

“In the fourth quarter of 2017, there was PC shipment growth in Asia/Pacific, Japan and Latin America. There was only a moderate shipment decline in EMEA,” said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. “However, the U.S. market saw a steep decline, which offset the generally positive results in other regions.

“The fourth quarter results confirmed again that PCs are no longer popular holiday gift items. This does not mean that PCs will disappear from households,” Kitagawa said. “Rather, the PC will become a more specialized, purpose-driven device. PC buyers will look for quality and functionality rather than looking for the lowest price, which will increase PC average selling prices (ASPs) and improve profitability in the long run. However, until this point is reached, the market will have to go through the shrinking phase caused by fewer PC users.”

HP Inc. moved into the No. 1 position in the fourth quarter of 2017, as its shipments grew 6.6 percent, and its market share totaled 22.5 percent (see Table 1). The company showed year-over-year growth in all regions, including the challenging U.S. market. For the fourth consecutive quarter, Lenovo experienced a decline in shipments. Lenovo had moderate growth in EMEA and Asia/Pacific, but shipments declined in North America.

Table 1
Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 4Q17 (Thousands of Units)

Company

4Q17 Shipments

4Q17 Market Share (%)

4Q16 Shipments

4Q16 Market Share (%)

4Q17-4Q16 Growth (%)

HP Inc.

16,076

22.5

15,084

20.7

6.6

Lenovo

15,742

22.0

15,857

21.7

-0.7

Dell

10,841

15.2

10,767

14.7

0.7

Apple

5,449

7.6

5,374

7.4

1.4

Asus

4,731

6.6

5,336

7.3

-11.3

Acer Group

4,726

6.6

4,998

6.8

-5.4

Others

13,990

19.6

15,599

21.4

-10.3

Total

71,556

100.0

73,015

100.0

-2.0

Notes: Data includes desk-based PCs, notebook PCs and ultramobile premiums (such as Microsoft Surface), but not Chromebooks or iPads. All data is estimated based on a preliminary study. Final estimates will be subject to change. The statistics are based on shipments selling into channels.
Source: Gartner (January 2018)

Dell’s shipments grew slightly in the fourth quarter of 2017. Dell did well in EMEA, Asia/Pacific and Latin America, but it had weak results in North America. Generally, Dell has put a higher priority on profitability over market share.

Steep PC shipment decline in the U.S.

In the U.S., PC shipments surpassed 15.2 million units in the fourth quarter of 2017, an 8 percent decline from the fourth quarter of 2016 (see Table 2). Four of the top five vendors experienced a decline in U.S. PC shipments in the fourth quarter of 2017. HP Inc. was the only vendor to increase shipments in the quarter. The decline was attributed to weak consumer demand despite holiday season sales.

“U.S. consumer confidence was high in the fourth quarter of 2017, but that did not influence PC demand. U.S. holiday sales were filled with popular products, such as voice-enabled speakers, and newly released smartphones,” Kitagawa said. “PCs simply could not compete against these gift items during the holiday season. We did see some consistent growth of gaming and high-end PCs.”

Table 2
Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 4Q17 (Thousands of Units)

Company

4Q17 Shipments

4Q17 Market Share (%)

4Q16 Shipments

4Q16 Market Share (%)

4Q17-4Q16 Growth (%)

HP Inc.

5,130

33.7

5,049

30.5

1.6

Dell

3,691

24.3

4,209

25.4

-12.3

Apple

1,972

13.0

2,003

12.1

-1.6

Lenovo

1,792

11.8

2,344

14.2

-23.6

Acer Group

587

3.9

661

4.0

-11.2

Others

2,042

13.4

2,276

13.8

-10.3

Total

15,214

100.0

16,543

100.0

-8.0

Notes: Data includes desk-based PCs, notebook PCs and ultramobile premiums (such as Microsoft Surface), but not Chromebooks or iPads. All data is estimated based on a preliminary study. Final estimates will be subject to change. The statistics are based on shipments selling into channels.
Source: Gartner (January 2018)

PC shipments in EMEA totaled 21.8 million units in the fourth quarter of 2017, a 1.4 percent decline year over year. PC demand in the U.K. was still ailing and unit shipments into Germany were weaker than expected. PC revenue is expected to be up year over year in Western Europe. The rise in ASPs is due to currency fluctuations, the need for vendors to offset rising component costs, and a product-mix shift toward higher-value items, such as gaming systems and high-performing notebooks.

The Asia/Pacific PC market totaled 25 million units in the fourth quarter of 2017, a 0.6 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2016. The consumer market stabilized with fourth-quarter online promotions in many countries, which drove demand for gaming PCs and thin and light notebooks. China experienced its first positive PC shipment growth since the first quarter of 2012. The success of the 11.11 shopping festival and the continuing demand for PCs in the commercial market drove the China PC market to 1.1 percent growth in the quarter.

PC market consolidation in 2017

For the year, worldwide PC shipments totaled 262.5 million units in 2017, a 2.8 percent decrease from 2016 (see Table 3). As the PC industry continues to consolidate, the top four vendors in 2017 accounted for 64 percent of global PC shipments. In 2011, the top four vendors accounted for 45 percent of PC shipments.

“The top vendors have taken advantage of their volume operations to lower production costs, pushing small to midsize vendors out of the market,” Kitagawa said.

Table 3
Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 2017 (Thousands of Units)

Company

2017

Shipments

2017 Market

Share (%)

2016

Shipments

2016 Market Share (%)

2017-2016 Growth (%)

HP Inc.

55,162

21.0

52,734

19.5

4.6

Lenovo

54,714

20.8

55,951

20.7

-2.2

Dell

39,871

15.2

39,421

14.6

1.1

Apple

19,299

7.4

18,546

6.9

4.1

Asus

17,967

6.8

20,496

7.6

-12.3

Acer Group

17,088

6.5

18,274

6.8

-6.5

Others

58,435

22.3

64,683

23.9

-9.7

Total

262,537

100.0

270,106

100.0

-2.8

Notes: Data includes desk-based PCs, notebook PCs and ultramobile premiums (such as Microsoft Surface), but not Chromebooks or iPads. All data is estimated based on a preliminary study. Final estimates will be subject to change. The statistics are based on shipments selling into channels.
Source: Gartner (January 2018)

These results are preliminary. Final statistics will be available soon to clients of Gartner’s PC Quarterly Statistics Worldwide by Region program. This program offers a comprehensive and timely picture of the worldwide PC market, allowing product planning, distribution, marketing and sales organizations to keep abreast of key issues and their future implications around the globe.

 

United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE:UMC; TWSE:2303) (“UMC”), a global semiconductor foundry, today announced that the company has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Micron Semiconductor (Xi’an) Co., Ltd. and Micron Semiconductor (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. in the Fuzhou Intermediate People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The lawsuit covers three areas that allegedly infringe upon UMC’s patent rights in China, including specific memory applications that relate to DDR4, SSD and memory used in graphics cards.

In the complaint, UMC has requested the court to order the defendant(s) to stop manufacturing, processing, importing, selling and intending to sell the allegedly infringing products, destroy all inventory and related molds and tools and demand that Micron compensate the company for a total amount of RMB 270 million in damages.

UMC has devoted a great deal of resources and manpower to researching and developing semiconductor manufacturing technology. Its achievements can be applied to logic chips or memory chips (DRAM), and the company has applied for patents in various countries while continuing to monitor these patents as market conditions evolve. After conducting an in-depth review, UMC found that Micron’s products sold in mainland China did indeed infringe upon the patent rights of the company, and thus patent infringement litigation has been pursued in order to obtain fair judgment.