Amtech Announces Follow-On Order for Next Generation Solar ALD for PERC Cell Line

TEMPE, Ariz., Dec. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Amtech Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASYS), a global supplier of production equipment and related supplies for the solar, semiconductor, and LED markets, today announced its solar subsidiary, SoLayTec B.V., has received a follow-on order for three next generation solar Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) systems. The order is expected to ship and be installed in this fiscal year. As a leading ALD supplier in the market, SoLayTec has booked a total of 25 ALD system orders since its inception, of which 15 will be used in mass production.

Depending on the capacity levels that are needed, SoLayTec offers three types of InPassion ALD. The main difference is the number of deposition units modules added in such a system. The basic three products offered are 4, 6 or 8 deposition units, which result in 2,400 wph, 3,600 wph or 4,500 wph respectively. (www.solaytec.com)

Fokko Pentinga, CEO and President of Amtech, commented, "This follow-on order brings the total ALD tools ordered by this specific customer to seven. Four systems have been put in production of PERC solar cells in the second half of fiscal 2017. The orders SoLayTec has received from this particular customer represent a total of 1GW of PERC production capacity. This follow-on order validates our customer's confidence in the performance capabilities of our spatial ALD system in high-volume production of PERC solar cells. There is a high level of enthusiasm in the PV marketplace for PERC solutions and this manufacturing platform supports our customers' goals to improve the total cost of ownership by increasing cell efficiency."

KKR Completes Tender Offer for Hitachi Kokusai

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global investment firm KKR and Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. (“Hitachi Kokusai” or the “Company”; TSE stock code 6756) today announced the completion of a tender offer by HKE Holdings G.K. (the "Offeror"), an entity owned by KKR investment funds, for the common shares of Hitachi Kokusai (excluding the 51.67% of its shares that are owned by Hitachi, Ltd. (“Hitachi”). Approximately 25.55% of the common shares have been tendered through the tender offer and will be acquired by the Offeror.

In connection with the tender offer, the Offeror has entered into an agreement (the “Agreement”) with Hitachi, the lead shareholder in Hitachi Kokusai, and HVJ Holdings Co., Ltd., (“HVJ”), an entity backed by funds managed/ serviced by Japan Industrial Partners, Inc. (“JIP”). Under the terms of the Agreement, following a share consolidation after the tender offer, Hitachi Kokusai will acquire Hitachi’s 51.67% holding of Hitachi Kokusai’s common shares in a share repurchase. Thereafter, Hitachi Kokusai will conduct an absorption-type company split pursuant to which the Offeror will succeed to 100% of the Company’s Thin-Film Process Solutions business. Subsequently, the Offeror will transfer 20% of the shares of Hitachi Kokusai to each of Hitachi and HVJ, resulting in 60%, 20%, and 20% ownership of Hitachi Kokusai’s Video and Communication Solutions business for the Offeror, Hitachi and HVJ, respectively.

Picosun Oy and Ushio Inc. start collaboration in Japan

ESPOO, Finland, and TOKYO, Japan, 6th December, 2017 – Picosun Oy, a leading supplier of advanced Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) thin film coating solutions, and Ushio Inc., a leading manufacturer of light sources and optical equipment, have started collaboration to boost the sales of Picosun’s ALD technology in the Japanese market.

Japan has long been one of Picosun’s most important market areas, where the demand for industrial ALD solutions is constantly increasing. In order to always guarantee first-class service to the esteemed customers in the area, Picosun Japan Co. Ltd was established as Picosun’s local subsidiary. Now, to extend this sales and service network even further, Picosun has decided to collaborate with Ushio, with Ushio working as its sales representative. Ushio is a well-known, well-established supplier of a wide variety of manufacturing equipment to the global semiconductor market, and Picosun’s fully automated, SEMI-compliant, and production line compatible industrial ALD systems will be a key addition to their portfolio.

China's Focus Lightings orders Veeco EPIK 868 MOCVD systems for LED production

Epitaxial deposition and process equipment maker Veeco Instruments Inc of Plainview, NY, USA has received an order for multiple TurboDisc EPIK 868 gallium nitride (GaN) metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) systems, to be shipped to the manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China of Focus Lightings Tech Co Ltd for the production of high-volume light-emitting diodes for general lighting and display applications (adding to its existing installed base of Veeco systems).

 

Source: Semiconductor Today LINK