Global Business Council Spring 2006 Conference - The Business Side of Device Packaging

AIM is pleased to announce that its laboratory located at its corporate headquarters has successfully passed the ISO 17025 accreditation. The accreditation of the AIM laboratory to ISO 17025 confirms its ability to identify, understand and fully implement laboratory testing to customers need, requirements and expectations.

ISO 17025 contains all of the requirements of ISO 9000, as well as additional requirements specific to testing and calibration laboratories. It addresses both quality management and technical operation requirements, and facilitates the acceptance of test data around the world. All national accreditation bodies have adopted ISO 17025 as a way to ensure standardization. Several industries and countries have incorporated it into their industry-specific or application-specific regulations.

In his new role, Dr. Fischer will lead the Americas sales team, manage and direct the company’s strategic marketing initiatives and oversee the technical service infrastructure in support of Henkel’s semiconductor and printed circuit board assembly products. Key to Henkel’s success as a global materials leader are the company’s pioneering work in lead-free materials research and development, a continued focus on material set development to simplify customers’ design requirements and expedite new product introductions, and the never-ending quest to provide global support at a local level. All of these initiatives will remain top priorities as Dr. Fischer leads the sales, marketing and tech service teams.

As previous Global Director of Product Management for Henkel’s semiconductor business and a 15-year electronics industry veteran, Dr. Fischer brings extensive market and product expertise to his new role. Throughout his career, Dr. Fischer has held various research and development positions with leading electronics firms, most notably Dow Chemical and Rohm and Haas, where he was employed just prior to joining Henkel.

“It is an incredibly exciting time to be part of the leading global materials supplier,” says Fischer. “The electronics industry is facing one of our greatest manufacturing challenges as we make the transition to lead-free production and Henkel has been at the forefront of materials research and development, yielding several leading-edge lead-free solder materials and compatible fluxes, underfills, encapsulants, die attach materials and mold compounds. This really is history in the making and Henkel is leading the charge.”

Foremost among Fischer’s goals in his new role are the continued expansion of the company’s presence among top EMS and OEM firms, sharing Henkel’s years of lead-free research and process expertise with customers through enhanced and easily accessible sales and support channels, and promoting the company’s unique approach to materials set development which enables semiconductor packaging specialists to realize accelerated product design cycles and significant cost savings.

Dr. Fischer holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque and has spent the last seven years with Henkel Corporation. In his new position, he will be based in the company’s Irvine, California technical center and will report directly to Henkel electronics group President, Patrick Trippel.

Santec Marketing, based in Phoenix, Arizona, represents many of today’s leading companies for industrial tools and production systems. Santec Marketing clients are located in Sonora, Mexico as well as Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.

Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc. (K&S) has announced a plan to tighten its focus on semiconductor assembly equipment and materials and create value for its shareholders.

• K&S has signed a definitive agreement to sell its wafer test assets to SV Probe, PTE, Ltd.

• K&S has also signed a definitive agreement to sell its package test assets to Investcorp Technology Ventures II, L.P., which is managed by the Technology Investment Group of Investcorp, a global investment firm.

• In both cases, the transactions are subject to closing conditions.

Scott Kulicke, chairman and CEO of K&S, discussed the decision to divest these businesses: “We’ve made significant progress with these businesses over the last few months, including: introducing new products; completing our planned product moves into China; and gaining market share. However, this progress has come at the expense of diverting focus away from our goal of being both the technology leader and the low cost supplier in our core assembly markets, and that’s unacceptable.” He added, “We came to the conclusion that our test customers would be better served by suppliers focused solely on test. In selecting both SV Probe and Investcorp, we’ve found buyers committed to continuing to meet the high standard of customer service that has characterized K&S’s ownership of these businesses, and we’ve structured the sales agreements to insure customers a seamless transition.”

Kevin Kurtz, president and CEO of SV Probe PTE Ltd, said, “The combination of SV Probe and K&S Wafer Test Products creates a premier one-stop provider for all wafer testing requirements. This unification clearly establishes SV Probe as the leading provider of a comprehensive set of innovative, cost effective test solutions. There is tremendous synergy between SV Probe and the K&S Wafer Test business, which will translate into a smooth integration for our customers.”

Alex Guira, a managing director in Investcorp’s Technology Investment Group, said, ”In what represents Investcorp’s seventh technology venture buyout over the past three years, we are very pleased to partner with the management team and employees of the K&S package test group in the acquisition of the business. We look forward to supporting the newly independent company as it executes a growth plan centered around its leading market share and strong base of customers.”

Mr. Kulicke concluded, "K&S’s core strengths lie in the semiconductor assembly arena. We expect that focusing on that business will result in an expanding customer base while providing better financial performance and value for our shareholders.”

PennWell Corporation has named veteran publisher David Barach to the position of Group Publisher of Solid State Technology and Advanced Packaging magazines, effective February 1.

For the past five years, Barach has led the Solid State Technology franchise, which includes Solid State Technology, Microlithography World, WaferNews, four international publications, three E-Newsletters, and an array of compelling digital media vehicles. Solid State Technology focuses on front-end semiconductor manufacturing processes, while Advanced Packaging concentrates on final assembly, packaging, and testing. The synergies between the two publications will create a powerful franchise for all advertisers and readers immersed in the entire semiconductor manufacturing industry. Given Solid State Technology’s total circulation of approximately 42,000 audited subscribers, plus an Asian reach of more than 50,000 buyers, as well as Advanced Packaging’s 22,000+ subscribers, there is no other global media network that can provide this type of competitive edge to the marketplace.

“For nearly 50 years, Solid State Technology has reigned as the premier technical publication covering the global semiconductor market,” says Mark Finkelstein, Senior Vice President, PennWell. “Creating one of the largest franchises within PennWell, the aligned Advanced Packaging and Solid State Technology brings a renewed emphasis on the growth and transformation within the semiconductor industry. Our Asian partner publications in China and Taiwan have already combined efforts of the fabs and foundries that include final manufacturing, and we are following suit. With his extensive knowledge and insight, David is the right publisher to lead the charge of our highly respected editorial staff and selling teams."

"This is a wonderful time for Advanced Packaging magazine,” states Gail Flower, Editor-in-Chief. “The current staff is still at the helm, with the added benefit of a greater reach through editorial expertise from Solid State Technology. In the future, look for changes in style, additional original articles, and an expanded global editorial reach into technological challenges. We make this change at a time when packaging is finally getting industry recognition as an area where things really do happen in a smaller, faster, cheaper format. We will be the first to report on and discuss these technological challenges."

"I am thrilled and honored to lead the Advanced Packaging and Solid State Technology franchises,” states Barach. “Each brand has earned the highest degree of respect and credibility within the industry. Now, with the opportunity to combine efforts – to better serve readers, online users, advertisers, and the marketplace in general – Advanced Packaging and Solid State Technology will provide a greater, more distinctive value from which all parties will benefit. Furthermore, with the additional investments being made in our Asian partner publications – AP/SST Taiwan and AP/SST/NMD China – we provide unbeatable synergy between these vibrant international media networks. The future is bright for Advanced Packaging and Solid State Technology, and we look forward to better serving the needs of the worldwide semiconductor manufacturing community.”

The company manufactures electronic, bioactive and specialty glass powders to a worldwide customer base. Its powders ultimately become assembled into components found in plasma display panels, cell phones, desktop computers, automobiles, power distribution systems and oral hygiene products.