Rudolph announce $21 million in system orders
Rudolph Technologies has announced that it has received over $21 million (USD) in orders for process control solutions from two customers: a Korean-based manufacturer of advanced DRAM ranking in the top five of worldwide semiconductor companies and a rapidly expanding 3D NAND manufacturer in China. The orders, which are evenly split between the two customers, span Rudolph's broad portfolio of total process control solutions comprising metrology, inspection, and software.
The Korean-based manufacturer continues to add to their previously installed Rudolph fleet as they boost production of advanced memory, while the new customer recognizes the value of Rudolph's solutions and is adopting them to optimize their initial volume ramp. The solutions installed at the new facility in China further add to Rudolph's growing revenue from memory applications, which nearly doubled from 2016 to 2017, including a significant contribution from expansion in China. All systems are scheduled to ship in the first half of 2018.
Equipment demand from memory manufacturers continues to grow as they transition from planar NAND to 3D NAND, which allows them to pack more memory into a smaller volume. This transition is driven by growing demand for memory in mobile devices, AI, and servers.
"Our flagship NSX and MetaPULSE systems have been selected for process control of critical deposition and etch steps for hard mask etch control in 3D NAND and for TSV process control in high bandwidth DRAM," said Tim Kryman, senior product marketing director at Rudolph Technologies. "We have been working extensively with industry leaders to increase output volumes by maximizing yields in advanced memory. This experience and value was recognized by our new customer in China and was a key factor in their selection of Rudolph's solutions."
"We are pleased that our integrated process control solutions are proving to be essential in-line components for our existing customers and an enabler for new customers in the memory market," said Mike Plisinski, chief executive officer of Rudolph Technologies. "2017 was a record year for Rudolph's memory business and our orders for the first half of 2018 already exceed the first half of 2017."
Mr. Plisinski concluded, "While memory remains a key market, we are also seeing strong demand from advanced packaging, CIS, RF, and automotive markets into 2018. The value represented by our solutions across these various markets resulted in a record $100 million in new orders during the fourth quarter with deliveries primarily in the first half of 2018. This signifies a clear endorsement of our products from our customers and the broad strength of the industry."
