INFICON ACQUIRES NEW VISION SYSTEMS - Company Expands Its Capabilities in the Emerging Advanced Process Control Market
INFICON Holding AG (SWX Swiss Exchange and NASDAQ: IFCN), a leading manufacturer of vacuum instrumentation and process control software for the semiconductor and related industries, today announced that it has acquired the privately-held company, New Vision Systems, a leader in advanced process control (APC) and lithography analysis for semiconductor manufacturing. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The company expects the transaction will be accretive in late 2003 or early 2004 depending on the timing of the semiconductor market recovery.
The acquisition of New Vision Systems expands INFICON's reach in the semiconductor fab by extending its range of process capability in the advanced process control (APC) market to include lithography. Lithography, fundamental to creating the pattern of integrated circuits (IC) on a semiconductor wafer, is the most challenging and strategically important process in manufacturing semiconductor devices. New Vision Systems develops and deploys a full suite of process control software compatible with tools from all major lithography and metrology equipment suppliers. These products improve equipment productivity and chip yield in semiconductor fabrication.
"This acquisition illustrates how INFICON is moving forward in implementing its strategy to capture a leading market share in mission critical segments of the APC market," said James Brissenden, president and chief executive officer. "The integration of INFICON's industry-leading technology in advanced process control for vacuum processes, combined with NVS similarly renown expertise in patterning processes, allows INFICON to deliver broader process control and metrology solutions for semiconductor manufacturing."
"Both INFICON and New Vision Systems have operated successfully in the same industry, serving many of the same customers," continued Brissenden. "Now, INFICON and New Vision Systems have come together to offer in situ sensors, APC software, and process expertise for the analysis and optimization of essential processes. We plan to link these adjacent processes by creating feed-forward/feedback control for optimization of interrelated blocks of processes. We see this as a crucial element in the successful implementation of fab-wide process control systems."
"With the acquisition of New Vision Systems, INFICON significantly enhances the value we bring to our semiconductor customers for improving equipment utilization and process yields," concluded Brissenden.
New Vision Systems has, since 1989, developed and implemented new methods for process control in microelectronic manufacturing with a primary focus on patterning processes (lithography and etch). The company has provided process engineering expertise and software solutions that enable the scalable application of its innovative technology to process-specific challenges in over 150 microelectronics fabs around the world.
To learn more about NVS, please click here .
ABOUT INFICON
INFICON is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of innovative vacuum instrumentation, critical sensor technologies, and process control software for the semiconductor and related industries. These analysis, measurement and control products are vital to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end-users in the complex manufacturing of semiconductors, flat panel displays, magnetic and optical storage media and precision optics. INFICON also provides essential instrumentation for gas leak detection and toxic chemical analysis to the air conditioning/refrigeration, emergency response and industrial hygiene markets. Headquartered in Syracuse, New York, INFICON has manufacturing facilities in the United States and Europe and worldwide offices in the U.S., China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. For more information about INFICON and its products, please visit the Company's website at www.inficon.com.
This press release and oral statements or other written statements made, or to be made, by us contain forward-looking statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts. Forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "believe", "will", "expect", "project", "assume", "estimate", "anticipate", "plan" or "continue". These forward-looking statements address, among other things, our strategic objectives, trends in vacuum technology and in the industries that employ vacuum instrumentation, such as the semiconductor and related industries and the anticipated effects of these trends on our business. These forward-looking statements are based on the current plans and expectations of our management and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect our current plans and expectations, as well as future results of operations and financial condition. Some of these risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for fiscal 2001 and the Company's reports on Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission during 2002.
As a consequence, our current and anticipated plans and our future prospects, results of operations and financial condition may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of our company. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
###
The acquisition of New Vision Systems expands INFICON's reach in the semiconductor fab by extending its range of process capability in the advanced process control (APC) market to include lithography. Lithography, fundamental to creating the pattern of integrated circuits (IC) on a semiconductor wafer, is the most challenging and strategically important process in manufacturing semiconductor devices. New Vision Systems develops and deploys a full suite of process control software compatible with tools from all major lithography and metrology equipment suppliers. These products improve equipment productivity and chip yield in semiconductor fabrication.
"This acquisition illustrates how INFICON is moving forward in implementing its strategy to capture a leading market share in mission critical segments of the APC market," said James Brissenden, president and chief executive officer. "The integration of INFICON's industry-leading technology in advanced process control for vacuum processes, combined with NVS similarly renown expertise in patterning processes, allows INFICON to deliver broader process control and metrology solutions for semiconductor manufacturing."
"Both INFICON and New Vision Systems have operated successfully in the same industry, serving many of the same customers," continued Brissenden. "Now, INFICON and New Vision Systems have come together to offer in situ sensors, APC software, and process expertise for the analysis and optimization of essential processes. We plan to link these adjacent processes by creating feed-forward/feedback control for optimization of interrelated blocks of processes. We see this as a crucial element in the successful implementation of fab-wide process control systems."
"With the acquisition of New Vision Systems, INFICON significantly enhances the value we bring to our semiconductor customers for improving equipment utilization and process yields," concluded Brissenden.
New Vision Systems has, since 1989, developed and implemented new methods for process control in microelectronic manufacturing with a primary focus on patterning processes (lithography and etch). The company has provided process engineering expertise and software solutions that enable the scalable application of its innovative technology to process-specific challenges in over 150 microelectronics fabs around the world.
To learn more about NVS, please click here .
ABOUT INFICON
INFICON is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of innovative vacuum instrumentation, critical sensor technologies, and process control software for the semiconductor and related industries. These analysis, measurement and control products are vital to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end-users in the complex manufacturing of semiconductors, flat panel displays, magnetic and optical storage media and precision optics. INFICON also provides essential instrumentation for gas leak detection and toxic chemical analysis to the air conditioning/refrigeration, emergency response and industrial hygiene markets. Headquartered in Syracuse, New York, INFICON has manufacturing facilities in the United States and Europe and worldwide offices in the U.S., China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. For more information about INFICON and its products, please visit the Company's website at www.inficon.com.
This press release and oral statements or other written statements made, or to be made, by us contain forward-looking statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts. Forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "believe", "will", "expect", "project", "assume", "estimate", "anticipate", "plan" or "continue". These forward-looking statements address, among other things, our strategic objectives, trends in vacuum technology and in the industries that employ vacuum instrumentation, such as the semiconductor and related industries and the anticipated effects of these trends on our business. These forward-looking statements are based on the current plans and expectations of our management and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect our current plans and expectations, as well as future results of operations and financial condition. Some of these risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for fiscal 2001 and the Company's reports on Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission during 2002.
As a consequence, our current and anticipated plans and our future prospects, results of operations and financial condition may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of our company. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
###