Amtech completing sale of solar business in January

Amtech Systems, Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA, a manufacturer of capital equipment (including for thermal processing and wafer handling and polishing) and related consumables for fabricating semiconductor devices such as silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon power chips, electronic assemblies and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), says that, due primarily to the year-end back-log of European notaries, the closing date on the sale of the remainder of its solar business Tempress Systems BV of Vaassen, The Netherlands, which supplies high-throughput diffusion and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) furnaces, is now planned for January.

“In line with our strategic plan, we are completing the final steps necessary for the solar divestiture project and are moving forward with our full attention on our power semiconductor and silicon carbide growth opportunities,” says executive chairman & CEO J.S. Whang. “The sale of R2D Automation [of Montpellier, France, which designs and makes wafer automation and handling equipment for the solar and semiconductor industries] to key members of their management team closed on 13 December 2019, and we are pleased that the Tempress divestiture will be completed in January,” he adds. “With the solar divestitures, we are well positioned to realize profitable growth and enhance value for all stakeholders,” he believes.

In July, Amtech said that its subsidiary PR Hoffman Machine Products Inc of Carlisle, PA, USA (which manufactures double-sided lapping and polishing machines, and complementary products including carriers, wafer polishing templates and machine parts) was moving to a larger manufacturing facility (to be operational in January) and had hired a business development manager.

“Our current manufacturing operations are at capacity,” noted chief operating officer Michael Whang. “We are near doubling our manufacturing footprint and positioning our business to meet the expected longer-term increase in demand for our distinctive SiC, optics and silicon substrate solutions. The larger floor space plus the planned additional manufacturing equipment will improve manufacturing flow, add greater efficiencies and, importantly, reduce lead times,” he added. “With the addition of our business development manager, who is an industry veteran, we are positioning PR Hoffman to maximize growth opportunities, while maintaining their outstanding customer service.”

“We are very excited about the expanding market for SiC, optics, and silicon that is supported by the continuously growing demand for power devices used in electric vehicles, automotive sensors, consumer and industrial IoT, 5G mobility, artificial intelligence, and big data,” commented J.S. Whang. “As this market grows, our strategy is to ensure the highest level of responsiveness to increasing demand from current and future customers, to bring timely product innovations to the marketplace, and capitalize on select external opportunities to further enhance our growth. Our move to this larger facility is an important step in our overall plan to capitalize on the attractive opportunities in the semiconductor marketplace, profitably grow our business, and enhance the value of our company for all stakeholders.”

Amtech also owns the subsidiairies Bruce Technologies Inc (BTI) (which makes automation systems for semiconductor diffusion furnaces) and BTU International Inc (which supplies thermal processing equipment for electronics manufacturing), both of Billerica MA, USA.

Tags: SiC Power electronics

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