UnitySC Adds HSEB Dresden, Expands Inspection, Metrology Services
Shown above is the UnitySC 4See inspection tool.
UnitySC (France) has announced that it has acquired 100 percent of the shares of HSEB Dresden, GmbH (HSEB), a supplier of optical inspection, review and metrology applications for semiconductor manufacturers. Following the acquisition, the new entity's extended line of leading-edge process control solutions is expected to provide unique and essential inspection and metrology capabilities. The combined company's offerings span substrate, front-end-of-line (FEOL) manufacturing, wafer-level packaging, 3D ICs and power semiconductors. UnitySC said it believes that bringing together the two companies will strengthen worldwide customer support for all platforms.
The combined product portfolio and future common platforms of UnitySC and HSEB will support manufacturing of devices used in mobility, automotive and internet of things applications. Combined, these markets are expected to reach a 14 percent CAGR, far outpacing the 8 percent growth forecast for the overall semiconductor industry. This will require the expansion and construction of new manufacturing facilities with novel equipment lines, UnitySC stated.
"Thanks to the proprietary technologies developed by both companies, this strategic acquisition further strengthens our capacity for development and innovation, enabling us to be the preferred partner to meet new customer requirements," said Patrick Leteurtre, president of UnitySC. "Our product portfolio now spans the spectrum required for substrate control of new FEOL, advanced packaging applications such as fan-out wafer-level packaging, embedded dies and through silicon vias, resulting in a value-added market positioning that will further accelerate our growth."
The new entity is distinguished by its strong semiconductor legacy and focus on technology development. More than 50 percet of its 140 employees are dedicated to R&D. Its extensive patent portfolio comprises 46 key patent families related to new semiconductor applications, and the management team is deeply rooted in the semiconductor industry.
UnitySC and HSEB products are already in service in the top five foundries and the top 10 OSATs, supported by an experienced service team. The acknowledgment of its products as tools-of-record by customers working on next-generation processes has generated a growth rate of more than 50 percent in a market that generally does not exceed 10 percent CAGR.
At closing, UnitySC paid an undisclosed fixed price for 100 percent of the shares of HSEB. Jointly, the two entities achieved a turnover of (USD) $20 million in 2017, and recorded $22 million in bookings by the end of February 2018.
