4 Sep 2014 07:00
PURE WAFER PLC
(AIM: PUR)
Further Investment in Leading Edge Technology
and Outstanding Supplier Performance Award
4 September 2014
Pure Wafer plc ("Pure Wafer" or "the Company"), one of the leading global providers of high quality silicon wafer reclaim services to many of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers and foundries is pleased to announce the successful installation of the latest generation of analytical measurement equipment as part of its ongoing investment in state-of-the-art technology, to support the advancement of industry specifications and satisfy the future requirements of its customers.
The recent installation of the most advanced Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICPMS) system provides Pure Wafer with the capability to measure surface metal contamination present on silicon wafers to orders of magnitude lower than currently specified on the semiconductor technology roadmap to support its leading edge customers.
The ICPMS system complements the recent installation of the latest generation of particle measurement equipment installed at both of the Company's manufacturing sites in Swansea and Prescott which allows measurement and mapping of surface particles below 30 nanometres in size and maintains Pure Wafer's position as one of the world's leaders in its technology field.
The ICPMS system is a significant addition to Pure Wafer's advanced analytical equipment, enabling the Company to analyse the surface of silicon wafers with greater precision and discrimination continually improving the purity of reclaimed wafers in support of its drive to the next technology nodes.
Pure Wafer's Chief Executive Officer, Richard Howells, commented:
"Pure Wafer is committed to maintaining its position at the forefront of technological advances within our industry. This investment will significantly increase the Company's metal detection capability, taking us to the next level, and will "future-proof" the Company against any changes in industry specifications for the next 5 to 10 years."
Customer Award
On 14 August 2014, Pure Wafer received a supplier award from Spansion Inc. in recognition of: "Outstanding support in improving the yields of reclaim wafers". Marilyn Bollengier (Vice President of Sales) and Fernando Bello (Engineering Manager) were present to accept this award on behalf of Pure Wafer; one of only two awards presented by Spansion Inc. to its suppliers.
Spansion Inc., headquartered in California, USA, is a manufacturer of industry leading products including flash memory, microcontrollers and analogue power management integrated chips.
This latest award follows shortly after a recent Supplier Spotlight Award from Spansion Inc. for outstanding supplier performance. Both awards recognise Pure Wafer's stated policy of supporting its customers' needs by working closely with them to supply world class products and a first class service backed up by high level technical support.
Jerry Winters, Pure Wafer's US Operations Director said:
"We are extremely proud to have been presented with this very prestigious award by one of the industry leading chip manufacturers. This award goes to the teams at both Spansion and Pure Wafer for their close collaboration towards a mutual goal of cutting test wafer costs by improving reclaim wafer use through quality and yield improvement projects. Pure Wafer considers working closely with its customers a critical aspect of a successful wafer reclaim programme to improve the overall cost of ownership of test wafers"
Enquiries: | |
Pure Wafer Plc | www.purewafer.com |
Richard Howells, Chief Executive Officer Huw Lewis, Chief Financial Officer | +44 (0) 1792 311 200 |
WH Ireland Limited | www.wh-ireland.co.uk |
JN Wakefield | +44 (0) 117 945 3470 |
Winningtons Financial PR Limited | www.winningtons.co.uk |
Paul Vann / Tom Cooper | +44 (0)20 3176 4722 |
+44 (0)7768 807 631 | |
paul.vann@winningtons.co.uk |
Notes to Editors:
Global market demand for semi-conductors is rising and with it the demand for "test wafers". Semi-conductor/silicon chips are manufactured on silicon wafers in highly advanced, specialist fabrication facilities. Such facilities, which require huge capital investment, use large quantities of "test" wafers for the purpose of testing, maintenance and calibration of semi-conductor manufacturing equipment. Wafer reclaim is an essential and highly specialised industrial process enabling the multiple re-use of these silicon test wafers.
Pure Wafer plc is one of the world's leading providers of these wafer reclaim services. They enable semi-conductor manufacturers to gain further efficiencies through the increased re-use of silicon test wafers which are an integral part of the extremely demanding and technically advanced production process.
Pure Wafer operates from two "State-of-the-Art" manufacturing facilities, in Swansea, South Wales and Prescott, Arizona, USA and following a period of consolidation within the industry, is now the leading European and US provider of 300mm wafer reclaim services.
Pure Wafer has an established track record, technological expertise and one of the world's most advanced wafer reclaim facilities. It has a "blue-chip" customer base that includes most of the world's largest semi-conductor manufacturers and independent foundries. It has longstanding relationships with its customers and works closely with them to design and develop a service that delivers reclaimed wafers to exact specification.