As the semiconductor industry moves to 28nm,20nm and below process technologies,demand for equipment used to make more advanced chips is set to boom allowing Scientech to work toward a promising future,according to company president Ming-chi Hsu.
Scientech is a Taiwan-based distributor of equipment and materials for suppliers in semiconductor,flat panel display,LED and other high-tech related industries.In the front-end chip equipment sector,the firm also supplies its in-house produced tools with customers mostly key foundries around the world,said Hsu.
Sales of Scientech's distributed products accounted for more than 60%of company revenues in the first half of 2012,Hsu revealed.The firm is looking to raise the sales ratio for its in-house produced tools to 50%in the next two years,Hsu added.
Hsu also indicated that chipmakers are all gearing up to improve yield and quality for advanced ICs and therefore,more use of test wafers will be required.Scientech also sees the trend as an opportunity for its wafer reclaim services,Hsu noted.
Taking Taiwan's semiconductor industry as an example,the total monthly output of 12-inch wafers is estimated at about 950,000 units on average in 2012,Hsu indicated.In 2013,the monthly figure will likely exceed one million 12-inch wafers,Hsu said.The anticipated rise in 12-inch wafer output will simultaneously boost demand for reclaimed large silicon wafers,according to Hsu.
Hsu claimed that Scientech currently holds an about 37%of the 12-inch reclaim wafer market.
In addition,Hsu expressed optimism about the company's LED manufacturing equipment business.The increasing adoption of patterned sapphire substrates(PSS)will help buoy sales of Scientech's LED front-end tools,Hsu said.
Currently listed on the Taiwan Emerging Stock Board(ESB),Scientech expects to apply to list on the Taiwan Stock Exchange(TSE)sometime during the first quarter of 2013.Revenues at Scientech totaled NT$686 million(US$22.9 million)in the first half of 2012,up 32%on year.
Scientech president Ming-chi Hsu
Photo:Michael Lee
