INDUSTRY NEWS

EXPANSIONS AND ACQUISITIONS

Eaton to build 'minifab'

Eaton will feature its entire line of process gear in a $75.6-million "minifab" that the vendor's equipment unit has begun building at its headquarters in Beverly, MA. The 110,000-sq-ft facility will house ion implantation, thermal processing, photostabilization, and photoresist stripping equipment. A full complement of metrology tools and related process equipment will also be installed at the facility, which will develop and demonstrate deep-submicron processes, according to Eaton. The minifab is scheduled to open in late 1998. The company also plans to add 50,000 sq ft of Class 100 and Class 10,000 space to its manufacturing plant in Beverly. The $13-million expansion is scheduled to open in early 1999.

Texas to get chemicals plant

Mallinckrodt Baker will build a $30-million plant near Austin, TX, that will supply ultrapure cleaning and etching chemicals to Samsung's DRAM fab in the Texas capital. Samsung America will hold a 20% stake in the plant under the terms of a joint venture agreement. The supplier says the plant will produce chemicals containing fewer than 5 ppt in trace metal impurities. The facility's laboratories will have the analytical capability to detect trace metals to the 1-ppb level. Scheduled for completion in 1999, the plant will be located on a 77-acre site in Temple, 70 miles north of Austin.

Mallinckrodt Baker also announced it has licensed technology from Sumitomo Chemical of Japan to manufacture ultrapure sulfuric acid, ammonium hydroxide, and hydrogen peroxide. In addition, the supplier will license technology from Samsung to make an edge-bead remover and photoresist thinner. It also signed a licensing agreement with Dong Woo Pure Chemicals to manufacture ultrapure isopropyl alcohol. Under the terms of the various agreements, the New Jersey—based vendor may supply the products to other companies besides Samsung.

Millipore moves gas HQ

Millipore will move its microelectronics gases business from San Diego to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area to consolidate operations following the vendor's purchase last year of Tylan General. San Diego—based Tylan General manufactures mass-flow controllers and related pressure and vacuum measurement devices. Based in Bedford, MA, Milllipore makes filtration and purification equipment. The business unit will move into a 178,000-sq-ft facility in the Enterprise Business Center in Allen, TX. The move combines the unit's San Diego headquarters as well as facilities in Rancho Dominguez, CA, and Plano, TX. Millipore will employ approximately 500 people at the site, which will house manufacturing, R&D, finance, and marketing operations. Pilot manufacturing is scheduled to begin July 31, 1998. Full-scale manufacturing will begin October 30.

Ionization pact reached

A joint program to develop photon ionization applications for 300-mm wafer processing has been announced by Ion Systems and Hamamatsu Photonics. The two-year agreement taps into Ion Systems' expertise in cleanroom ionization and Hamamatsu's manufacturing capabilities in photonic devices. The products will be based on a soft x-ray technology ionizer developed by Hamamatsu for the semiconductor and FPD industries.

Air Products to buy Solkatronic

Air Products and Chemicals has signed a letter of intent to purchase Solkatronic Chemicals for an undisclosed sum. Based in Fairfield, NJ, Solkatronic manufactures UHP gases, chemicals, and gas-handling equipment. The companies were expected to complete the transaction in early 1998. According to Allentown, PA—based Air Products, Solkatronic enjoyed double-digit sales growth over the past 10 years, with approximately 50% of revenues originating from U.S. sales and the remaining 50% coming from Asian and European sales. The acquisition broadens Air Products' product line to include dopants and high-purity specialty gases. The company says it will keep Solkatronic's employees. Solkatronic has a specialty gases plant in Morrisville, PA, and will open another plant in Catoosa, OK. It also operates a distribution center in Chandler, AZ. The vendor is a subsidiary of Solvay America, a member of the Belgium-based Solvay Group.

In related news, Air Products has installed its first commercial on-site bulk silane system at White Oak Semiconductor's fab near Richmond, VA. Installation of the Gasguard bulk specialty gases system falls under the terms of a long-term contract signed by the vendor to manage all gas and chemical services at the site.

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