Busch Vacuum Solutions, one of the largest vacuum pump manufacturers worldwide, has acquired centrotherm clean solutions, one of the technology leaders in industrial gas abatement systems. The strategic acquisition underlines the commitment of Busch Vacuum Solutions and Pfeiffer Vacuum to sustainability and will help to further strengthen the position as a proven solution provider in the semiconductor industry and other related sectors.

“The acquisition of centrotherm clean solutions is a crucial step in our long-term strategy to advance sustainable technologies and solutions together with Pfeiffer Vacuum,” said Sami Busch, Co-CEO and Co-Owner of the family-run company Busch Vacuum Solutions from Maulburg. “The innovative gas abatement systems from centrotherm clean solutions are a perfect addition to the Busch and Pfeiffer Vacuum product portfolio. Integrating the companies under one umbrella will enable us to serve our customers even better in the future and offer complete sustainable vacuum solutions. Additionally, the companies already collaborate successfully on individual projects in the field of service. Therefore, the customers of centrotherm clean solutions will also benefit from our worldwide service network in more than 45 countries.”

Centrotherm clean solutions has its headquarters in Blaubeuren, and is also present at other locations in Europe, America and Asia. As a provider of techno-logically leading gas abatement systems especially for the semiconductor and high-tech industries, the company employs over 300 people worldwide, who can draw on the experience of a thirty-year company history. The company’s headquarters and production site in Blaubeuren, as well as all worldwide locations and jobs, will be retained after the acquisition.

“Centrotherm clean solutions has achieved significant growth thanks to its technological leadership in recent years. In order to continue this successful development, a strategic partner is of great benefit,” emphasizes the founder and former owner of centrotherm clean solutions, Robert Hartung. “I found this partner in the Busch family and their company Busch Vacuum Solutions. The technologies and products from Busch, Pfeiffer Vacuum and centrotherm clean solutions complement each other perfectly. The timing of the acquisition is just right, as the companies can now strategically prepare for upcoming in-vestments in new semiconductor factories.”

Managing Director Dr Angela Bayler adds, “The companies simply fit very well together. We share the same values and visions. This became more than clear in our initial discussions. We look forward to working and growing together!”

About Busch Vacuum Solutions
Busch Vacuum Solutions is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of vacuum pumps, vacuum systems, blowers and compressors. Their extensive product portfolio includes solutions for vacuum and overpressure applications in all industries, such as chemicals, plastics, semiconductors, medical technology, and food. This also includes the design and construction of tailor-made vacuum systems and a worldwide service network. The Busch Group is a family business that is managed by the Busch family. More than 8,000 employees in 110 com-panies in over 45 countries worldwide work for Busch Vacuum Solutions. Busch is headquartered in Maulburg, Baden-Württemberg, in the tri-border region of Germany, France and Switzerland. Besides Maulburg, Busch manufactures in its own production plants in Germany, Switzerland, the USA, the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic, Korea, Romania, India, Vietnam and China. Pfeiffer Vacuum, a large vacuum pump manufacturer based in Middle Hesse, is also part of the international Busch group. Busch Vacuum Solutions was founded in 1963 by Dr Karl Busch and his wife Ayhan Busch, who built the company to-gether. With the HUCKEPACK, Dr Karl Busch developed the first vacuum pump for food packaging. His follow-up product, the R5 rotary vane vacuum pump, revolutionized food packaging.

About centrotherm clean solutions
Centrotherm clean solutions is one of the leading manufacturers of innovative gas abatement systems, which are primarily used in the semiconductor industry but also, for example, in the production of MEMS, LEDs, solar cells, and flat panel displays. In addition to various large and small industrial customers, cen-trotherm clean solutions also counts a number of research institutions and universities amongst its customers. The products from centrotherm clean solutions, which include standardized gas abatement systems as well as individual customized systems and overall environmental solutions, make an important contribution to the sustainable manufacturing of semiconductor components. With dry bed absorbers, wet scrubbers, thermal gas treatment systems and particle filters, the product range includes all common gas abatement technologies. The company’s headquarters in Blaubeuren in Baden-Württemberg serves as both the main office and production plant. Additionally, the company’s own technology and application center is constantly working on the development of new, future-oriented technologies and products. Centrotherm clean solutions operates at several locations in Europe, the USA and Asia and is also directly represented on-site by service teams at several key customers. Over 300 people are employed worldwide.

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Axiomise will showcase its portfolio of cutting-edge formal verification solutions that includes training, consulting, services and its custom app formalISA® during RISC-V Summit North America November 7 and 8 in Silicon Valley.

The formalISA® app launched earlier this year is used to formally verify numerous open-source and commercial RISC-V processors, proving the absence of bugs in out-of-order and in-order cores. End users are able to get formal verification results on any RISC-V core by pushing a few buttons and using any formal verification tool.

Axiomise will be in booth #S11 and will feature live demonstrations of the formalISA app and reinforce how it is making formal normal. Axiomise also unveiled earlier this year its RISC-V Studio Portal that displays and explains in detail real-world applications and product demonstrations of how bugs can be caught using formal verification methods.

The RISC-V Summit North America exhibits will be open Tuesday, November 7, from 10:45 am until 7 pm, and Wednesday, November 8, from 10:45am through 4:15 pm at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, Calif. Registration is open.

About formalISA
Axiomise’s formalISA is intelligent debug combined with exhaustive proofs and coverage for end-to-end formal verification. The push-button formal verification solution verifies the architecture and micro-architecture of RISC-V processor cores. It is in use in production environments to formally verify numerous open-source and commercial RISC-V processors by identifying deep corner-case bugs and mathematically proving the absence of bugs on complex out-of-order and in-order cores.

About Axiomise
Axiomise is accelerating formal verification adoption through its unique combination of training, consulting, services and specialized verification solutions for RISC-V. Axiomise was founded by Dr. Ashish Darbari, FBCS, FIETE, DPhil (Oxford), who has been a formal verification practitioner for more than two decades with 60 patents in formal verification and over 70 publications.

Engage with Axiomise at:
Website: www.axiomise.com
Twitter: @axiomise
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/axiomise/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/axiomise

• Read more about Axiomise Heads to Silicon Valley Next Week for RISC-V Summit North America

Kitchener, Ontario, October 20, 2023 – PEER Group®, the largest supplier of innovative factory automation software products for the semiconductor industry, will be exhibiting at SEMICON Europa 2023. This year marks the company’s twentieth anniversary since opening its European office in Dresden, Germany.

“We are very proud of reaching this milestone anniversary,” says Michael Arnold, Managing Director of PEER Group GmbH. “It’s been a privilege being a part of the European semiconductor industry as it becomes a global powerhouse in chipmaking, and we look forward to continued expansion in the coming years.”

During SEMICON Europa, PEER Group will be showcasing its suite of innovative factory and tool automation software products at booth B1454, including PEER Tool Orchestrator (PTO®) and PEER FACTORY® Station Controller (PFSC™).

“These products, combined with our deep industry expertise in developing SEMI® Standard compliant solutions, have earned us the trust of our European customers over the last two decades,” says Mike Barrett, PEER Group’s Director, Global OEM Sales. “As the European semiconductor industry continues to grow and strengthen, bolstered by massive investments and new factory builds, PEER Group will continue to be here to serve all our current and future customers’ factory and tool automation needs.”

SEMICON Europa is taking place in Munich, Germany from November 14-17. To learn more, or to schedule a meeting during the show, visit PEER Group’s SEMICON Europa event page.

About PEER Group
PEER Group® is the largest supplier of innovative factory automation software products for the semiconductor industry. Since 1992, our solutions have helped the world’s most advanced OEMs and factories reduce time to market and lower costs by solving their equipment automation, data management, and process control problems. An award-winning company, PEER Group’s commitment to quality has been recognized by Intel’s EPIC Supplier Program, naming PEER Group a Distinguished Supplier in 2023 and an Outstanding Supplier in 2022. Follow PEER Group on LinkedIn.

• Read more about PEER Group showcases automation solutions at SEMICON Europa, celebrates twenty years in Europe

Trading Update: RoodMicrotec announces total income for the third quarter of 2023

• Total income for the third quarter of 2023 was EUR 4.2 million (2022: EUR 4.3 million)
• Total income for the first nine months of 2023 was EUR 12.9 million (2022: EUR 11.7 million)
• Order book value increased compared to the beginning of the quarter

Deventer, October 19, 2023 – RoodMicrotec N.V., a leading independent company for semiconductors supply and quality services, today releases its trading update for the third quarter of 2023. The total income for the third quarter of 2023 was EUR 4.2 million, marginally lower than in the third quarter of 2022 (EUR 4.3 million). The total income for the first nine months of 2023 was EUR 12.9 million, an increase of 10% compared to the same period in 2022 (EUR 11.7 million). The good start in the first quarter of this year and the stable development in the second and third quarters are the base for this increase.
The order book increased compared to the beginning of the quarter and continues to be filled with long-term contracts and engagements as well as short-term orders. The long-term contracts and engagements are mainly in the SCM and Test Operations units and the short-term orders in the Failure Analysis & Qualification unit.
“It is encouraging to see that the total income for the first nine months is higher than for the same period last year even though the market situation with high inflation and rising interest rates is getting worse. We continue to support our customers with high quality services and they highly appreciate it.”, says Martin Sallenhag, CEO of RoodMicrotec. “The steady increase in the order book value is building a good foundation for our future business.”

Outlook
RoodMicrotec expects the total income for 2023 to be in the range of EUR 17.0 million to EUR 17.5 million, with a profit before tax ratio from 5 to 10% of total income, excluding the advisory expenses incurred for the public offering process. This projection is in line with the financial targets communicated to the financial market previously. The geopolitical situation in the world and the trends with higher inflation, rising prices, and increasing interest rates throughout Europe could have an impact on the Company’s business. The Management is keeping a close eye on the situation and is doing everything possible to mitigate any potentially negative impact.

Audit
The financial data in this press release have not been audited.
 
Today’s Extraordinary Meeting of Shareholders
RoodMicrotec will hold an Extraordinary Meeting of Shareholders at Amsterdam Stock Exchange (Euronext), Beursplein 5, 1012 JW in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, this afternoon starting at 14:00 CEST in relation to the recommended public offer by Microtest S.p.A. for all the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of RoodMicrotec N.V.

About RoodMicrotec
RoodMicrotec is a leading independent company for semiconductor supply and quality services. With more than 50 years of experience in the semiconductor and electronics industry, RoodMicrotec is well-established as a highly valued partner for many companies worldwide. The Company provides full-turnkey ASIC services for complex microchips that are customized to handle specific applications for individual customers. In cooperation with strong partners, RoodMicrotec manages the entire development and production flow of ASICs in the target volume, ranging from low quantities up to multiple millions per year. The turnkey solution includes project management, wafer test, assembly, final test, qualification, failure analysis and logistics. All services comply with the industrial and quality requirements of the high reliability, aerospace, automotive, healthcare and industrial sectors. RoodMicrotec’s headquarters are located in Deventer, Netherlands, with operational units in Nördlingen and Stuttgart, Germany
For more information visit https://www.roodmicrotec.com

This press release is published in English and German. In case of conflict between these versions the English version shall prevail. This communication contains information that qualifies as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The company’s managing director and CEO Martin Sallenhag, is responsible for arranging the release of this document on behalf of RoodMicrotec.

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TOLEDO, Ohio, October 16, 2023 – SSOE Group, an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm, is delighted to announce the successful acquisition of Santa Clara, California-based Integrated Engineering Services (IES), effective October 13, 2023. This strategic move marks a significant step forward for both organizations, ushering in a new era of expanded capabilities and enhanced service offerings for our valued clients.

IES, founded in 1995, is a distinguished engineering firm renowned for its expertise in MEP, Chemical and Process Engineering, Hazardous Materials, and Code Compliance. Additionally, IES brings highly sought-after Commissioning and Qualification services to the table, opening up this new service offering for SSOE. This acquisition strengthens SSOE's position in key markets, including Semiconductor, Pharmaceutical, Battery, Food and Beverage, Chemical, and Higher Education, where both firms are poised to provide even greater value and specialized solutions.

SSOE CEO Vince DiPofi, PE, expressed enthusiasm for joining of the two firms, "We are excited about this opportunity and the benefits it will bring to our clients and employees. This acquisition allows us to broaden our expertise, expand our service offerings, and deepen our resources for project execution. Together, as a combined firm, we will be able to provide even more value and support to our clients." Jeremy Woodgate, PE, SE, the firm’s Chief Operating Officer, added, “SSOE and IES share a common commitment to client service and complex problem-solving, as well as a dedication to making our clients successful. IES brings impressive expertise in areas that are critical to our clients including cleanroom design, industrial and lab ventilation, specialty and toxic gas distribution piping systems, process and bulk chemical distribution systems, purity water and wastewater treatment, hazardous building codes, fire codes, and regulatory compliance and permitting.”

IES’s full team will remain with the firm, including their two co-founders Rizik Michael and Jeff Tarter. In comments on the motivation behind the deal, Tarter noted, “The cultures of our organizations align and our services complement each other. We have worked with SSOE in the past, and we are impressed by their remarkable track record of delivering large, complex projects across the United States and beyond. We are excited that our IES clients will benefit from SSOE’s comprehensive civil, facilities, and process design capabilities.”

In addition to Santa Clara, IES’s locations in Atlanta, Georgia and Austin, Texas will further bolster SSOE’s presence in these geographic regions and provide IES clients with a growing list of 20+ additional locations to support them.

Betsy Hurner, Vice President of Corporate Development at SSOE, remarked, “This acquisition demonstrates our continued focus on adding expertise through acquisitions. We want to be a go-to partner for our clients’ most complex and challenging projects and firms with impressive skillsets like IES help us make progress toward that goal. We welcome the IES team with open arms and look forward to a prosperous future together!”

About SSOE Group
As an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm, SSOE is known for delivering unparalleled client value that advances the AEC industry. They have been named a “Great Workplace” (Great Place to Work®) and one of the “Best AEC Firms to Work For” (BD+C).

Over the company’s 75-year history, it has earned a reputation for providing quality project solutions to high-tech and general manufacturing clients in the semiconductor, automotive, battery, food, chemical, and glass industries. SSOE also provides forward-thinking design across healthcare and general building sectors such as corporate workplace, education, and judicial—with projects completed in 40 countries.

SSOE has vast experience developing engineered solutions and implementing innovative technology for complex environments. Their portfolio of work includes the 4 million SF Ford Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center, Panasonic’s 300-arce Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing Campus, Toyota’s Battery Cell Production Facility, and many more.
Visit ssoe.com for more information.

About IES
Integrated Engineering Services is a full-service MEP design firm specializing in innovative and complex designs, chemical and process engineering services; specialized hazardous materials, code and risk management consulting; and commissioning and qualification services for the microelectronics, green tech, and life sciences industries.

Visit iesengineering.net to learn more.

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Deventer, October 12, 2023 – RoodMicrotec N.V., a leading independent company for semiconductors supply and quality services, and CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, are expanding their collaboration with the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Outer Tracker ASICs project. The long-standing partners are thus jointly facing another large and significant project.

The ASICs tested for the CMS will enable the collection of essential data during experiments in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The LHC is purpose-built to help scientists in addressing fundamental questions within the field of particle physics.
As part of the planned 2026 upgrade to the CMS detector, CERN will again use RoodMicrotec's expertise and testing services. RoodMicrotec will test and deliver over 1,000 12" silicon wafers. The three ASIC modules on the wafers will become an integral part of the detectors. They will collect and process the enormous amounts of data that emerge during the generation of collision experiments.

"We are very pleased to have this long-standing partnership with RoodMicrotec. In the past, we have been able to successfully test and apply the ASIC components that are so important for science," says Kostas Kloukinas, project manager of the CMS Outer Tracker ASICs project at CERN.

For RoodMicrotec, the cooperation with CERN also means a lot. Especially the opportunity to contribute to the progress of science is very fascinating. Furthermore, the project helps to advance the company's own expertise even further.

"The employees of RoodMicrotec are proud to be able to significantly contribute with their services to the basic research of the large CERN family," says Martin Sallenhag, CEO of RoodMicrotec.

About CERN
CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics was founded in 1954 and is the world's leading laboratory for particle physics. Here, physicists and engineers explore the fundamental structure of the universe to find out what it is made of and how it works. For their studies of the basic constituents of matter – the elementary particles – they use the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments. To investigate those particles, they are accelerated to almost the speed of light and thus made to collide. The resulting events tells physicists how particles interact and provide insights into fundamental laws of nature. CERN has 23 member states and further nations from all over the world that contribute to its research programs.
For more information please visit https://home.cern/science/experiments/cms

About RoodMicrotec
With more than 50 years of experience in the semiconductor and electronics industry, RoodMicrotec is a leading independent company for semiconductor supply and quality services. RoodMicrotec is a highly valued partner for many companies worldwide and offers specifically tailored turnkey solutions for each single customer's requirements. The turnkey services include project management, wafer test, assembly, final test, qualification, failure analysis, and logistics. All services provided by RoodMicrotec meet the high quality standards of the automotive, industrial, healthcare, and high reliability aerospace sectors. RoodMicrotec is headquartered in Deventer, Netherlands, with operational units in Nördlingen and Stuttgart, Germany.
For more information, please visit https://www.roodmicrotec.com

This press release is available in English and German. In case of conflict between these versions, the English version shall prevail.

• Read more about RoodMicrotec and CERN intensify their cooperation in ASIC testing

Kitchener, Ontario, Octover 5, 2023 – Mike Kropp, the Co-founder, President, and CEO of PEER Group®, will be inducted into the University of Toronto’s Engineering Alumni Network (EAN) Hall of Distinction during an official ceremony on November 2, 2023.

Located in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering’s Sandford Fleming Building, the Hall of Distinction honors extraordinary U of T Engineering alumni in recognition of their lifelong accomplishments and whose careers ultimately define what is most exemplary about the engineering profession.

“The EAN Awards Adjudications Committee is pleased to select Mike Kropp as a recipient for the EAN Hall of Distinction Award,” says committee member Caprice Boisvert. “It is evident that Mike has incredible vision and drive. He is an engineer who excels in leadership, mentorship, and entrepreneurship and has an innate ability to look to the future. He has built PEER Group into a successful company while at the same time making a huge impact on the semiconductor industry.”

As an Electrical Engineering undergrad, Kropp walked through the Hall of Distinction daily on the way to and from classes. “As I read the biographies of the members, I grew impressed with their contributions to the practice of engineering and the communities and markets they served,” recalls Kropp.

Following his graduation in 1986, Kropp held professional stints as a systems engineer at American Cimflex Corporation and a systems integrator at ATS. During his time at ATS, he met fellow U of T grad, Bob Harris. Kropp and Harris eventually established PEER Group in 1992. Over the next three decades, the Kitchener-based company grew from a two-person operation to a 250-person organization developing industry-leading factory automation software for the semiconductor industry.

Through it all, Kropp has leveraged his early learnings as an engineering student, developing and executing a business model and strategy firmly based on the engineering principles of curiosity, problem solving, discipline, and process.

He has also applied the lessons he gleaned reading the biographies of the early Hall of Distinction inductees: “When PEER Group was starting out, those members served as an inspiration for me to build a better company that contributes to our local community with a global impact,” shares Kropp. “I am thrilled to join their ranks and provide an inspiration for future generations of engineers.”

About PEER Group
PEER Group® is the largest supplier of innovative factory automation software products for the semiconductor industry. Since 1992, our solutions have helped the world’s most advanced OEMs and factories reduce time to market and lower costs by solving their equipment automation, data management, and process control problems. An award-winning company, PEER Group’s commitment to quality has been recognized by Intel’s EPIC Supplier Program, naming PEER Group a Distinguished Supplier in 2023 and an Outstanding Supplier in 2022. Follow PEER Group on LinkedIn.

• Read more about PEER Group Co-founder, President, and CEO, Mike Kropp, inducted into the University of Toronto’s EAN Hall of Distinction