News

19 October 2009

 

Sumitomo Precision Products completes acquisition of Aviza

Sumitomo Precision Products Co Ltd (SPP) has finalized its acquisition of the majority of the assets of etch and deposition equipment maker Aviza Technology Inc of Scotts Valley, CA, USA. This follows completion of the process required by the US bankruptcy court with jurisdiction over Aviza’s Chapter 11 filing on 9 June.

The acquisition includes the single-wafer process equipment subsidiary Aviza Technology Ltd (ATL) in Newport, Wales, UK; Aviza’s Thermal Products business; and the firm's global sales & service assets and personnel, with the exception of IP related to atomic layer deposition (ALD) systems and process.

ATL and the other acquired assets will be merged with SPP’s Newport-based plasma etch & deposition equipment subsidiary Surface Technology Systems plc (STS) to form SPP Process Technology Systems (SPTS). STS is just 10 miles from Aviza’s UK headquarters, as both originate from Newport-based Electrotech Ltd (founded in 1968). SPP bought STS from Electrotech in 1995. Electrotech was subsequently bought in 1996 by Plasma & Materials Technologies Inc of Chatsworth, CA, USA, which then became Trikon Technologies Inc in 1997. Trikon later merged with Aviza Technology Inc in 2005. ATL and STS will continue to operate separately during the integration process, says SPP.

In addition, a new business unit, Thermal Products Division, will be established in the USA, focused on supporting Aviza’s existing vertical furnace and atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) customers.

“SPP is excited to reunite STS and Aviza, both with common lineage from Electrotech Equipment Ltd, after so many years of separation,” comments Susumu Kaminaga, president of SPP and chairman of SPTS. “As we broaden our product line through this acquisition we feel all STS and Aviza customers in MEMS, compound semiconductor, advanced packaging, data storage and power device industries will benefit from more technology options from one supplier, with enhanced global service and support,” he adds.

“We appreciate that Aviza customers have had concerns about the long-term stability of the company over the past 6-9 months,” says William Johnson, president of SPTS and director of Corporate Strategy for STS. “Now, through the merger of STS and Aviza, we believe we offer a technically strong and financially sound business that is focused on our customers and the enabling technologies of tomorrow. In addition, we look forward to providing factory certified parts, upgrades, service, and additional systems to the thermal products customers of Aviza with the same experienced Scotts Valley team that has served them in the past under the Watkins Johnson, SVG, and Aviza brands.”

See related items:

Aviza agrees to sell assets to Sumitomo Precision Products

Aviza receives NASDAQ delisting notice

Aviza files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

Bank calls in Aviza’s $29.5m debt

Search: Surface Technology Systems Aviza PVD ALD Etch

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