BILTHOVEN, Netherlands, Feb. 19, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- ASM International N.V. (Nasdaq:ASMI) (Euronext Amsterdam:ASM) today announced that its 54%-owned subsidiary, ASM Pacific Technology, Ltd. (Hong Kong Exchanges: 0522), received its first Eagle-60 gold wire bonder order from an American top five manufacturer of semiconductors principally used in a broad range of advanced communications applications. The equipment is scheduled for immediate delivery to an Asian factory of this new customer.
According to Patrick Lam, managing director of ASMPT, the equipment will be used in a copper wire application. "In certain applications with wires of larger diameters, copper can be an efficient replacement for gold wires. Our Eagle-60 gold wire bonder platform offers the flexibility to extend process recipes to copper. We believe ASM is the world leader in copper wire bonding technology, having delivered over 200 machines to a variety of customers for applications requiring one to six mil wire diameter copper capabilities."
Launched in 2002, the award-winning, Eagle-60 gold wire bonder is the industry's first production machine capable of 35-micron fine pitch bonding. It also offers 20-percent higher productivity than its predecessor model. ASM has gained market share with each generation of new gold wire bonders since introduction in 1998. Continued market penetration, particularly in bonders, has made ASM the leader in the global semiconductor assembly equipment market since 2002.
About ASM and ASMPT
ASM International N.V. is headquartered in Bilthoven, the Netherlands. ASM International is a global company, serving one of the most important and demanding industries in the world. The Company possesses a strong technological base, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, a competent and qualified workforce and a highly trained, strategically distributed support network. ASM International's subsidiaries design and manufacture equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices. ASM International and its subsidiaries provide production solutions for wafer processing, assembly and packaging through their facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia. ASM International's common stock shares trade on Nasdaq (symbol ASMI) and the Euronext Stock Exchange in Amsterdam (symbol ASM). For more information, visit ASM's web site at http://www.asm.com
ASM Pacific Technology, Ltd. with headquarters in Hong Kong, has operations in Shenzhen China, Singapore and Malaysia. It is the world's largest supplier of a full line of assembly and packaging equipment for the semiconductor industry. It also supplies the Photonics and Optoelectronics markets. With its financial strength and R&D resources, ASMPT offers its customers total solutions in process innovations, package development and factory automation. ASMPT is 54%-owned by ASM International N.V. ASM Pacific Technology, Ltd. common shares trade on the Hong Kong Exchanges under the symbol: 0522. For more information, visit ASMPT's web site at www.asmpacific.com
Safe Harbor Statement under the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The matters discussed in this statement, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to economic conditions in the semiconductor industry, currency fluctuations, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, risk factors related to litigation and other risks indicated in filings from time to time with the SEC and Stock Exchange Authorities.
ASM is a trademark of ASM International N.V.