SPTS Technologies Ltd (an Orbotech company that manufactures etch, PVD and CVD wafer processing solutions for the MEMS, advanced packaging, LED, high-speed RF on GaAs, and power management device markets) has surpassed $1bn in cumulative export sales of semiconductor processing equipment from its manufacturing headquarters in Newport, South Wales, UK. This milestone was achieved over the past six years since the founding of SPTS in 2009.
With support from Welsh Government Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) funding, SPTS continues to develop its process solutions for advanced packaging applications, including fan-out wafer-level packaging and plasma dicing of wafers for higher-yield device singulation.
"SPTS has a long history of innovation in the new wafer processing technologies for the global semiconductor and micro-electronics manufacturing industries, with advanced packaging remaining a strategic and high-growth segment of our business," says Kevin Crofton, president of SPTS Technologies and corporate VP at Orbotech. "Our proven ability to develop and commercialize new products and solutions has been key to achieving our first billion dollar export sales milestone. In 2014, SPTS was awarded significant R&D funding from the Welsh Government in support of a three-year project, which will assist us in ensuring that the advanced packaging solutions developed in Newport by our R&D team will continue to provide customers around the world with the most technically advanced and low-cost-of-ownership solutions available," he claims.
"SPTS Technologies has a track record of identifying niches and successfully exploiting them, and [in 2014] was awarded Anchor Company status by the Welsh Government in recognition of its strategic importance to the Welsh economy in terms of exports, job creation, R&D investment and supply chain support," comments Edwina Hart, Welsh Minister for Economy, Science and Transport. Presented with the Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade 2013, SPTS exports over 95% of its products.
"The company spends over £50m a year on materials and the impact of its 'buy local' policy means that three of their top ten supplier are Welsh firms and 80% of its annual spend goes to firms in an 80-mile radius of SPTS," Hart adds. "Each £1m it spends supports 10 jobs in the local economy, which represents a considerable indirect economic benefit for Wales. By providing support to anchor companies such as SPTS, we are enhancing the economic and industrial development in the region."
