WORLD BEAT

Asia

SDC delivers to China

Stainless Design Corp. (SDC) has completed the installation of gas and chemical delivery systems for Fab 908 operated by China Haujing Electronics Group. Located in Wuxi, the fab will manufacture CMOS-based semiconductors for the communications industry. Under the terms of the $4.8-million contract the New York-based vendor will provide hazardous gas cabinets, delivery systems for chemicals and inert gases, and a communications network.

Fairchild eyes Asian expansion

Fairchild Technologies of Fremont, CA, broadened distribution of its optical disk manufacturing equipment in Southeast Asia by signing Hong Kong- based WKK Distribution to market the supplier's equipment throughout the region. Fairchild is particularly keen to increase sales of its new dye coating system for recordable compact discs. William Ward, company president, says he is encouraged by forecasts of 785% growth in the market for recordable CDs by the year 2000. The market for optical disk equipment is expected to reach $750 million by the same year, with more than one-third of tool orders coming from Asia/Pacific disk manufacturers, according to a market research study cited by Fairchild.

Selete selects Nanometrics

Selete, the Japanese consortium established to develop equipment for 300-mm wafer processing, has installed a Nanometrics thin-film-metrology system at its facility near Yokohama. The 8300XSE system measures and characterizes single and multiple transparent film stacks using a combination of spectroreflectometer and spectroellipsometer technologies, Nanometrics says. The tool's robotics are capable of handling both 200- and 300-mm wafers.

Noran moves to Kawasaki

Noran Instruments has moved its Pacific Rim sales and support office from Tokyo to Kawasaki, Japan. The Wisconsin-based supplier manufactures microanalysis systems, confocal laser scanning tools, and related analytical equipment. Noran also has a sales and support office in Seoul, South Korea.

Europe

Ashland heads to Scotland

Ashland Chemical of Dublin, OH, will provide total chemical management services at Motorola's two fabs in East Kilbride, Scotland, under the terms of a recent agreement. The contract is the first such chemical management agreement in the European semiconductor industry, according to Ashland. Ashland's responsibilities include ordering and storing process chemicals, managing just-in-time delivery, and assisting with process control and environmental safety. Servicing and maintenance of the chemical distribution systems in both fabs will eventually be added. Ashland has provided the same management services for Motorola's MOS 11 fab in Austin, TX, since 1990.

Realtime signs foreign agents

Sunnyvale, CA-based Realtime Performance has named EZI of Villach, Austria, as a regional agent for the vendor's line of automation and control software. EZI will market Realtime's line of embedded control system products and services to semiconductor equipment manufacturers. The Austrian firm is the developer of a modular control tool which has been installed in more than 190 single-wafer wet etchers since 1990, according to Realtime. The vendor also appointed APSYL of Toulouse, France, as a regional agent. The French firm is a consulting and software company specializing in process automation.

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