INFICON Receives Orders Valued at $2.6 million from Samsung Electronics
Syracuse, New York/Zurich, Switzerland - January 30, 2003 - 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 received orders valued at $2.6 million from Samsung Electronics for its FabGuard Sensor Integration and Analysis System. The orders, which include in situ sensors, hardware and software, mark the second contract for the FabGuard System from this long-term INFICON customer.
Samsung will use INFICON integrated process monitoring for in situ metrology in a 300mm mass production fab. FabGuard and its multi-sensor platform provide fully automated, real-time fault detection and analysis to maximize productivity and equipment utilization, reducing losses from process drift, contamination, tool malfunction, and unnecessary test wafers. The installation is expected to commence in February.
"These orders reflect the increased demand we are seeing even in a weakened semiconductor environment for in situ metrology products and technologies that target mission-critical and "bottleneck" processes where increased control can create large and rapid paybacks," said James Brissenden, president and chief executive officer. "Overall manufacturing efficiency is more vital to profitability than ever before, making it critical to maximize fab productivity both by reducing the number of ruined wafers and by maximizing equipment utilization. FabGuard and our sensor-based diagnostics help semiconductor manufacturers meet these challenges."
Brissenden continued, "We are very pleased that Samsung, a valued customer, has selected FabGuard for this project. We believe this order demonstrates that customers like Samsung recognize the superior solutions, application-specific process expertise, and technical support that INFICON provides. It substantiates our belief that INFICON is well positioned to be a key player in enabling advanced process control (APC) projects in 300mm fabs worldwide."
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.
Corporate Contact:
Betty Ann Kram
Director of Corporate Communications
and Investor Relations
+1.315.434.1122
BettyAnn.Kram@inficon.com
European Contact:
Bernhard Schweizer
c-matrix group ag
+41 (0) 41.769.80.40
Bernhard.Schweizer@cmatrix.ch
North American Contact:
Jody Burfening/Kathy Price
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Inc.
+1.212.838.3777
jbs@lhai.com
Samsung will use INFICON integrated process monitoring for in situ metrology in a 300mm mass production fab. FabGuard and its multi-sensor platform provide fully automated, real-time fault detection and analysis to maximize productivity and equipment utilization, reducing losses from process drift, contamination, tool malfunction, and unnecessary test wafers. The installation is expected to commence in February.
"These orders reflect the increased demand we are seeing even in a weakened semiconductor environment for in situ metrology products and technologies that target mission-critical and "bottleneck" processes where increased control can create large and rapid paybacks," said James Brissenden, president and chief executive officer. "Overall manufacturing efficiency is more vital to profitability than ever before, making it critical to maximize fab productivity both by reducing the number of ruined wafers and by maximizing equipment utilization. FabGuard and our sensor-based diagnostics help semiconductor manufacturers meet these challenges."
Brissenden continued, "We are very pleased that Samsung, a valued customer, has selected FabGuard for this project. We believe this order demonstrates that customers like Samsung recognize the superior solutions, application-specific process expertise, and technical support that INFICON provides. It substantiates our belief that INFICON is well positioned to be a key player in enabling advanced process control (APC) projects in 300mm fabs worldwide."
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.
Corporate Contact:
Betty Ann Kram
Director of Corporate Communications
and Investor Relations
+1.315.434.1122
BettyAnn.Kram@inficon.com
European Contact:
Bernhard Schweizer
c-matrix group ag
+41 (0) 41.769.80.40
Bernhard.Schweizer@cmatrix.ch
North American Contact:
Jody Burfening/Kathy Price
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Inc.
+1.212.838.3777
jbs@lhai.com