A NEW CHAPTER IN MANUFACTURING INNOVATION

AMSTERDAM — DataProphet, a global leader in data-driven performance optimization solutions for digital-era manufacturing, is excited to announce the addition of Prof. Dr. Jürgen Grotepass to its esteemed industry advisory board.
Through his network and connections within the German Platform Industrie 4.0, ZVEI, and DIGITALEUROPE, Prof. Dr. Grotepass will help DataProphet extend its global footprint in the smart manufacturing space and establish additional strategic partnerships.

IMPACT EXPERIENCE WITH LEADING-EDGE 4IR INNOVATIONS
DataProphet’s inclusion of Prof. Dr. Grotepass in the broader team is a puzzle piece toward accelerating the adoption of solutions that move the needle on digital success in the manufacturing sector globally.

Prof. Dr. Grotepass brings over 30 years of experience in the manufacturing sector, with a strong background in machine vision technology. He holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from RWTH Aachen, focusing on Machine Vision.

The new advisory board member has been instrumental in driving digital transformation in the manufacturing industry as Chief Strategy Officer of Manufacturing Europe at HUAWEI Technologies Duesseldorf GmbH and the European Research Center (ERC) in Munich.

Prof. Dr. Grotepass has developed many AI supported and 5G-enabled Industry 4.0 use case innovations. A noteworthy example is via SmartFactory-KL in cooperation with 15+ industry partners. These showcased during Hannover Messe exhibits between 2018 and 2023. One of Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s projects solves for quality assurance. It uses machine vision to optimize the quality inspection of customized products by deploying secure cloud services and a federated learning approach.

DEMYSTIFYING MANUFACTURING’S DIGITAL-ERA — SOLUTION PROVISION, GUIDANCE, AND ALLIANCE
When asked what attracted him to collaborate with DataProphet in driving innovation in sustainable manufacturing performance, Prof. Dr. Grotepass shared this insight:

“Industries are currently progressing in the twin transition process (digital and green) with the carbon footprint of products and processes becoming a new currency. With access to data, AI will be a key enabler in turning empirical process knowledge into predictive solutions. Such solutions will yield savings for customers and related value chains.”

Prof. Dr. Grotepass points out that the electronics industry is spearheading digitalization and, therefore, is a good starting point for other verticals to frame their own digital maturity trajectory:

“In more traditional industries, such as steel and rubber, model creation for predictive and prescriptive AI still is a journey. Experience accumulates collaboratively over time. This is because process data in front end processes are still missing, calling for sensor integration to generate them.”

For traditional industries to evolve, Prof. Dr. Grotepass highlights the importance of multiple stakeholder collaboration and the role an AI-as-a-Service company like DataProphet plays in this context:

“Digitalization and the interaction between the three key players — solution provider, integrator, and end-user/operator — are becoming success indicators. DataProphet’s offerings in this domain serve as a solution provider, guide, and ally to customers on their journey.”

“With DataProphet, success is achieved with measurable KPIs. These include the OEE of processes and material as well as energy and carbon footprint savings, all demonstrated on customers’ premises,” Prof. Dr. Grotepass concludes.

NEXT-GENERATION MANUFACTURING PERFORMANCE SYNERGY
There is great synergy with DataProphet in Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s results-driven approach to manufacturing performance optimization. The AI-enabled quality assurance innovation mentioned earlier delivered a 30-40% productivity increase and lead time reduction.

Likewise, DataProphet prides itself on guaranteed value generation, its manufacturing customers enjoying a measurable return on assets and bottom line with the company’s data-driven solutions.

Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s background in academia, research, and industry leadership will provide DataProphet with unique insights, offering a well-rounded perspective on current trends, challenges, and opportunities in manufacturing.

In addition to his role at HUAWEI Technologies, Prof. Dr. Grotepass is a guest professor at Tongji University (CDHK: Chinese German College) in Shanghai. He is also an expert at the German Platform Industrie 4.0, as part of a working group on ‘Technology and Application Scenarios.’ Finally, at the ZVEI working Group ‘AI in Automation’ he acts as chairman, and is a DIGITALEUROPE Digital Manufacturing Executive Council member.

EXPANDING COLLABORATIVE MANUFACTURING INNOVATION FOR DIGITAL ERA SUCCESS
Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s wealth of expertise and experience will prove invaluable to DataProphet as it continues to innovate and expand its AI and ML offerings for the manufacturing sector. As Frans Cronje, CEO and co-founder at DataProphet, said of this development:

“We are honored to welcome Prof. Dr. Jürgen Grotepass to our industry advisory board. His vast experience and leadership in the manufacturing industry — particularly in machine vision, AI, and Industry 4.0 — will provide valuable insights and guidance. These will be brought to bear as we continue to develop end-to-end, cutting-edge AI and ML performance optimization solutions for our clients to realize value from the digital transition.”

And as Andrea Böhmert, Chairperson of the board of DataProphet, adds, “DataProphet is privileged to count a number of thought leaders in their respective fields as members of our Industry Advisory Board. These are our supporters, champions and guides in this fast changing industry and have been instrumental in ensuring that we as a team stay ahead of industry trends. Adding Prof. Dr. Jürgen Grotepass to this circle will help us to obtain even further insights into the latest thinking of some of Europe’s most active umbrella organizations driving industry initiatives. We couldn’t be closer to the pulse.”

Undoubtedly, Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s appointment to the industry advisory board will be a factor in extending DataProphet’s global footprint. His input will help ensure the company remains at the forefront of technological innovation in manufacturing worldwide.

Prof. Dr. Grotepass’s diverse experience working with multiple stakeholders, including OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and research institutions, shines a light on cross-industry collaboration. This is a strategy DataProphet passionately believes in.

About DataProphet
DataProphet is a global leader in AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) process performance optimization for digital-era manufacturing success. Its IIoT platform and prescriptive AI technology measurably enhance efficiency, minimize waste, and improve product quality across industries. Clients experience a 40%+ increase in value with DataProphet PRESCRIBE, the company’s award-winning, results-driven, end-to-end prescription engine.

DataProphet tailors its solutions to each unique smart factory journey, supporting and accelerating digitalization roadmaps through consultation and collaboration. Manufacturers, Machine Builders, OEMs, and Tier 1 suppliers partner with its machine learning specialists to digitize processes, elevate their teams’ digital maturity, and realize their goals for sustainable production.

• Read more about AI LEADER JÜRGEN GROTEPASS BOOSTS DATAPROPHET’S INDUSTRY IMPACT

PEER Group® has announced an upcoming webinar designed to help semiconductor equipment manufacturers prepare for the increasing demand from backend factories for automation capabilities and SEMI® Standards compliance in assembly and test processes.

Taking place on June 22, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. MT, the webinar, Standardizing the Assembly and Test Process, will feature an in-depth discussion between Jason Cicero, Micron Technology’s Senior IT Domain Architect, and PEER Group’s Director of Marketing, Doug Suerich.

Topics covered will include: why the backend, including assembly and test, needs more automation and standardization, how this will impact equipment design and integration, common issues faced by factories when integrating new tools, and how equipment suppliers can help solve these issues. There will also be a live Q&A for attendees to ask questions during the webinar.

“The SEMI Standards Program has been around for more than 40 years,” says Suerich. “During that time, these standards have evolved into the guiding principles which ensure compatibility and interoperability across suppliers and factories, improving manufacturing productivity, quality, and reliability, and reducing the cost and pain of integrating new equipment onto the factory floor. Universally adopted in the frontend, we are starting to notice increasing demand from factories to implement standards in the backend, including assembly and test processes.”

Evidence of this shift is seen as major players in the frontend enter the assembly and test market while established facilities announce major capital investments into their operations. This expansion introduces new, high-value processes to assembly and test and closer integration with the frontend – both of which are enabled through the application of standards. Meanwhile, the SEMI Advanced Backend Factory Integration task force continues to investigate and promote the adoption of SEMI Standards for assembly and test.

The webinar is scheduled to last 30 minutes followed by a 15-minute Q&A. All registrants will have the opportunity to access a recording of the webinar. For more information, including how to register, visit: https://bit.ly/3mq2yf3

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. A multi-award winning company, PEER Group has been named a Best Workplace by Great Place to Work Canada 11 times, and most recently was one of six recipients of Intel’s 2022 EPIC Outstanding Supplier Award, which recognizes the absolute top performers in the Intel supply chain. Follow PEER Group on LinkedIn and Twitter at @PEERgroup_Inc..

• Read more about PEER Group presenting webinar on the adoption of SEMI Standards for assembly and test processes

Deventer, May 11, 2023 – RoodMicrotec N.V., a leading independent company for semiconductors supply and quality services, and Svenska Grindmatriser AB (SGA), a well-established fabless IDM for the development and supply of customized mixed-signal ASICs, today announce that the companies have started a cooperation for high-volume production testing of SGA’s ASIC products.

The cooperation with RoodMicrotec as European partner enables SGA to meet the rapidly growing market demand. Furthermore, RoodMicrotec as a supplier will help SGA to strengthen its supply chain by providing flexible testing capacities as well as other quality assessment services.

“This collaboration offers us the opportunity to grow faster. In addition, both companies benefit from each other's knowledge, which is of tremendous value! Therefore, I am expecting this cooperation to be growing to a strategic level”, says Henrik Sjöberg, CEO of SGA.

Being a leading European service provider in the semiconductor industry, this partnership matches well with RoodMicrotec’s portfolio of capabilities.

Martin Sallenhag, CEO of RoodMicrotec, says, “This cooperation shows that we are a reliable partner for test and quality services in Europe. It is always nice to see that such strong companies as SGA rely on our expertise and test capabilities. In addition, this project helps us to strengthen our position as a service provider for the Swedish semiconductor industry.”

About SGA
SGA is a fabless manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal ASICs. SGA works closely with customers throughout the entire product lifecycle, from development to high-volume production. SGA's deep technical expertise and continuous quality focus has led to long-lasting partnerships in a broad set of industries. The company was founded in 1986 and is located in the city of Linköping, Sweden.
For more information please visit www.sga.se.
Further information
Henrik Sjöberg, CEO or Andreas Marinus, Sales
Phone +46 13 36 46 60, E-mail [email protected]

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
Further information
Martin Sallenhag, CEO or Arvid Ladega, CFO
Phone +31 570 745623, E-mail [email protected]

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 SGA enter into cooperation for ASIC testing

Heidelberg, Germany – Heidelberg Instruments, a global player in direct write technology and solution provider for the advanced packaging market, is transforming the semiconductor industry with its maskless laser lithography system, the MLA 300. Continuous and repeat orders of MLA 300 systems confirm Heidelberg Instruments' capabilities and customer satisfaction.

MLA 300 is increasing production capacity for wafer-level packaging providers.

Flexible designs, high throughput, uniformity, and yield are the basic requirements in the semiconductor industry. The MLA 300 Maskless Aligner meets all of these requirements and more, with its capability to expose a tailor-made design on each substrate to match the actual die locations. Unlike a fixed mask, the design data can be tailored and augmented before exposure, enabling yield improvements by compensating for line width bias due to processing or loading re-mapped designs that include die shift. In addition, serial number labeling and other dynamically generated, unique patterns can be added to each exposure.

The MLA 300 is optimized for industrial volume production and features distinct benefits such as full automation. The flexibility of maskless lithography allows rapid design customizations, even unique designs on each substrate, which can be updated automatically. This is particularly useful for chip packaging where mounted die shift due to the curing of a reconstituted wafer or panel. The MLA 300 system seamlessly integrates into wafer-level packaging production lines, fully automating production with a resolution down to 2 µm lines and spaces. Customers benefit from reduced production costs and efforts by eliminating mask procurement, verification, and management requirements. Operating costs are reduced by utilizing a long-lifetime exposure laser and fewer consumables. The modularity enables fast maintenance, replacement, or repair. Real-time autofocus compensates substrate warp or corrugations for flawless patterning.

“We are thrilled to witness this cutting-edge technology’s impact on the industry, and we’re excited that many important companies and groups are taking this journey with us. The MLA 300 is a game-changer in maskless lithography,” states Alexander Forozan, Head of Global Sales and Marketing at Heidelberg Instruments Group. “Its revolutionary features transform the production process, delivering unmatched precision and high throughput. So, whether you want to enhance productivity or streamline your operations, the MLA 300 is designed to exceed your expectations.”

Introduced into the market at the end of 2019, the MLA 300 Maskless Aligner is the first direct exposure system specially designed for industrial applications in advanced packaging, wafer-level packaging, electronics components, sensors, MEMS, and many more.

With continuous order intakes from leading wafer-level packaging providers in Asia, the Heidelberg Instruments MLA 300 Maskless Aligner has proven capabilities and customer satisfaction, making the company poised for growth in the demanding and fast-growing high-technology market.

Contact:
Sonja Pfeuffer
Head of Global Marketing
[email protected]

Further information:
https://heidelberg-instruments.com/

About Heidelberg Instruments Mikrotechnik GmbH
With over 35 years of experience and over 1,300 systems installed worldwide, Heidelberg Instruments is a world leader in designing, developing, and manufacturing high-precision laser lithography systems, maskless aligners, and nanofabrication tools. Industry stakeholders and working groups of renowned universities and research institutes worldwide use Heidelberg Instruments systems for advanced micro- and nanofabrication. Fields of applications include micro-optics and microsystems technology, photonics, electronics, semiconductors/ advanced packaging, quantum computing, MEMS/NEMS, micro-mechanics, biomedical engineering, 2D materials, IoT, and many more. Heidelberg Instruments provides lithography solutions tailored to meet our global customers' micro- and nanofabrication requirements – no matter how challenging.

• Read more about Redefining Wafer-Level Packaging Production with Heidelberg Instruments Flexible Direct Writing Technology

RoodMicrotec shows strong financial performance for the year 2022.
• Total income of EUR 16.5 million with an EBITDA of EUR 3.9 million
• Net profit of EUR 2.4 million
• Cash flow from operating activities of EUR 3.6 million

Deventer, April 20, 2023 – RoodMicrotec N.V., a leading independent company for semiconductors supply and quality services, today publishes the Company’s Annual Report for the financial year 2022 including the audited consolidated and company financial statements. The 2022 Annual Report is available for download on the corporate website: www.roodmicrotec.com/en/investor-relations-en/financial-publications.

The total income for 2022 amounted to EUR 16.5 million, which is 14% higher than in 2021 (EUR 14.5 million) resulting in a second consecutive year with double-digit growth. Notably, this is the highest total income since 2000, and it shows that RoodMicrotec is focusing on the right fast-growing future-oriented markets.

“Once again, we managed to exceed the outlook and deliver a higher total income as well as a higher profit. In the first and second quarter of 2022, we generated a total income that was similar to the fourth quarter of 2021, which was a very good start of the year,” says Martin Sallenhag, CEO of RoodMicrotec. “In the third and fourth quarter of 2022, we saw a steady increase in total income making the full year the best in over 20 years. The profit before tax for the year as well as the overall liquidity put us in a good position for future investments in machinery and services. This allows us to focus on growing the business with new customer engagements.”

Throughout the year, the Test Operations department continued to deliver outstanding results. The total income increased from EUR 7.9 million in 2021 to EUR 10.0 million in 2022, which is a growth of 26%. Our long term customers are increasing their demand and we are able to support them with additional capacity. In 2022, we have added both manpower and new machines to support the expanding business.

The Supply Chain Management unit is growing thanks to long-term projects. The total income increased from EUR 3.4 million in 2021 to EUR 3.5 million in 2022, a growth of 5% year-over-year. This is also driving turnover in the other units, especially in the Test Operations department.

In the Qualification & Failure Analysis department we have seen a big increase in request for counterfeit analysis. Due to the shortage of components, it is becoming more important to analyze the used components before going into mass production. RoodMicrotec is the first and only company in Germany to offer the counterfeit electronic parts standard SAE AS6081 as an accredited method according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018.

2022 HIGHLIGHTS / MAIN DEVELOPMENTS

Financials
• Total income: EUR 16.5 million (2021: EUR 14.5 million).
• EBITDA: EUR 3.9 million (2021: EUR 2.8 million).
• Balance sheet total: EUR 17.2 million (2021: EUR 15.0 million).
• Net result: EUR 2.4 million profit (2021: EUR 1.4 million profit).
• Net cash flow from operating activities: EUR 3.6 million (2021: EUR 2.0 million).

Commercial/operational
• RoodMicrotec has continued to expand its services in the areas defined in the Company’s technology roadmap. High frequency test solutions are being developed for our demanding customers based on this new technology and their demand for production test.
• The first projects to qualify high power electronics according AQG 324 have been started in the Qualification & Failure Analysis department. These new services have been added to handle high power devices aimed for battery management and control.
• RoodMicrotec and Rohde & Schwarz have been working together for over 10 years and in this period RoodMicrotec has carried out the test development for various high frequency ASICs used by Rohde & Schwarz in their products. RoodMicrotec performs wafer and component level tests as well as qualifications prior to product launch. For the coming years, further projects of this kind are already scheduled.
• The world leader in UWB (Ultra-Wideband) sensing solutions, Novelda, and RoodMicrotec have reached an agreement on qualification, test, and supply of a new generation of UWB devices. The Ultra-Wideband Sensor can detect the tiniest movements, even breathing and heartbeat. The cooperation with RoodMicrotec as European partner enables Novelda to manage faster qualification and industrialization of new products. Effective collaboration, both on engineering and management level, and combining each partner’s expertise is allowing ‘first time right’ development of test solutions, qualification processes, and the rapid launch of production testing and supply.
• The order book is at a higher level than in the beginning of the year, even though the total income was higher than budgeted. This means that the book-to-bill ratio was above 1 for the year.
• During 2022, we have continued to progress the booked SCM projects towards production through test program development as well as qualification work. Some projects have been released for production and we start to see the first volumes for these customers. The turn-key project for a Swiss customer, which includes the design of an ASIC by a design house partner, packaging of the device in Asia, qualification, and in-house test development, is progressing well. The volume production for this device will be launched early in 2023 in the RoodMicrotec facility in Nördlingen.
• The nationally and internationally funded APPLAUSE project “Advanced packaging for photonics, optics and electronics for low cost manufacturing in Europe,” fosters the European semiconductor value chain by building new tools, methods and processes for high volume manufacturing. RoodMicrotec has taken over the leadership of the work package “testing, reliability, failure analysis and metrology”. The project has delivered exceptional results with significant immediate or potential impact. The progress over the last period was convincing.
• As a full and final settlement of the 2012 perpetual bond, RoodMicrotec GmbH has paid Robus a total settlement amount of EUR 400k nominal, i.e. without any interest, in two equal nominal installments of EUR 200k on February 28, 2022 and June 30, 2022. This final settlement has been reached before and confirmed by the Regional Court of Hamburg in February 2022.
 
Events after balance sheet date
• RoodMicrotec GmbH has entered into an agreement for a full and final settlement with Prime Capital Debt SCS, SICAV-FIS – Robus Recovery Sub-Fund (“Robus”) regarding the perpetual bond that RoodMicrotec GmbH issued in 2010 and which is held by Robus.

Following an oral hearing held on March 7, 2023, both parties have reached agreement on a full and final settlement that was reached before and confirmed by the Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main. Pursuant to the settlement, RoodMicrotec GmbH shall pay a total amount of EUR 2,194k (110% of the nominal value of the perpetual bond issued in 2010), in four equal installments of EUR 548k, by March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31, 2023.
 
Key figures
(x EUR 1,000 unless stated otherwise) 2022 2021

Results & Cash
Total income 16,548 14,532
EBITDA 3,898 2,786
EBITDA as % of total income 23.6% 19.2%
EBIT (operating result) 2,451 1,227
EBIT as % of total income 14.8% 8.4%
Profit (loss) before tax 2,271 1,038
PBT as % of total income 13.7% 7.1%
Net result 2,380 1,435
Net cash position (year-end) 3,682 2,558
Net cash flow from operating activities 3,553 2,049

Capital, Debt & Liquidity Ratios (at year-end)
Total assets 17,197 15,014
Equity 7,850 5,583
Net debt -805 374
Invested capital (net debt + equity) 7,045 5,957
Gearing ratio (net debt / invested capital) -11% 6%
Solvency (equity / total assets) 46% 37%
Debt ratio (net debt / EBITDA) -0.2 0.1
Net working capital (working capital - net cash position) 211 317
Net working capital ratio (net working capital / total income) 1.3% 2.2%
ROCE (EBIT / average invested capital) 37.7% 21.0%

Assets (at year-end)
Tangible and intangible fixed assets 8,765 8,295
Investments in (in)tangible fixed assets 1,743 681
Depreciation of (in)tangible fixed assets 1,447 1,559

Data per share (x EUR 1)
Equity 0.105 0.074
Operating result 0.033 0.016
Net cash flow from operating activities 0.047 0.027
Net result 0.032 0.019
Share price: year end 0.205 0.201
Share price: highest in the year 0.215 0.267
Share price: lowest in the year 0.171 0.176

Other information
Number of issued shares at year end (in millions of shares) 75.1 75.1
Average number of employees (FTE) 94 89
Total income / average FTE 176 163
Market capitalization (in EUR millions) 15.4 15.1

 
Total income and result
In 2022, RoodMicrotec’s total income of EUR 16.5 million was 14% higher than in 2021 (2021: EUR 14.5 million), with 92% of its total sales effected in the European countries.
Total income from the Automotive sector increased by 18% to EUR 8.1 million in 2022 (2021: EUR 6.9 million) and represents 49% of the total income. Total income in the Industrial / Medical sector increased by 7% to EUR 6.7 million in 2022 (2021: EUR 6.3 million) and represents 40% of the total income. The HiRel / Aerospace segment declined by 8% to EUR 0.8 million (2021: EUR 0.9 million) and with 5% only represents a small percentage of the total income. The income in this sector mainly consists of failure analysis and qualification work and this is very much depending on our customers’ design cycles. Total income in other sectors increased by 105% to EUR 0.9 million (2021: EUR 0.5 million).
Total income by market sector:
(x EUR 1,000) 2022 2021 change

Automotive 8,094 6,886 17.5%
Industrial / Medical 6,683 6,270 6.6%
HiRel / Aerospace 849 926 -8.3%
Others 922 450 104.9%

Total 16,548 14,532 13.9%

Throughout 2022, the Test Operations unit showed a strong increase, which was related to the superior services and the excellent position RoodMicrotec has with its existing and new customers. The Supply Chain Management unit showed a limited increase compared to last year. The sharp increase in the second half of 2022 compared to the first half of 2022 was due to a higher demand for existing products as well as the production ramp-up in the context of new long-term contracts. In 2022, the Qualification & Failure Analysis unit saw a decrease compared to 2021. However, the total income for the second half of 2022 was 9% higher than for the first half of 2022, which shows that new customer projects are now starting.
Total income results per operational unit:
(x EUR 1,000) 2022 2021 change

Supply Chain Management 3,533 3,364 5.0%
Test Operations 10,035 7,938 26.4%
Qualification & Failure Analysis 2,980 3,230 -7.7%

Total 16,548 14,532 13.9%

Operating result
The Company recorded an operating result for 2022 of EUR 2.5 million compared to EUR 1.2 million in 2021, and thus an increase of 99.8%. The increase in total income only led to a modest rise of expenses for raw materials and consumables (in 2021, expenditures for raw materials and consumables were exceptionally high due to a high level of wafer deliveries). Combined with a lower increase in operating expenses than in total income, this led to an increase in the operating margin from 8.4% in 2021 to 14.8% in 2022.

Net result
The Company recorded a net result of EUR 2.4 million profit for 2022, which is an increase of 65.9% compared to 2021. 

Personnel and organization
During 2022, RoodMicrotec continued to optimize the organization to keep track with the changing demands from customers and markets. Furthermore, highly experienced personnel has been recruited for support of the Company’s future plans. The average number of full time employees (FTE) in 2022 was 94. Total income per average full-time employee increased to EUR 176,000 from EUR 163,000 in 2021. RoodMicrotec’s policy is to strive for growth of sales per FTE.
Looking back, RoodMicrotec got through the COVID-19 period very well and without any material impact on staffing levels. The measures taken with facial masks, distance between the working places, home offices, and general care, offered a safe environment for all employees.

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 of 5-10% and thus in line with the financial targets. The geopolitical situation in the world and the current energy crisis 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.

Conference call
You are invited to take part in RoodMicrotec’s conference call for shareholders, financial press, and analysts via Microsoft TEAMS on
Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 9:30 CEST.
The Board of Management, Martin Sallenhag and Arvid Ladega, will comment on the Annual Report 2022 in detail and will answer your questions.
To join the event please follow these login instructions:
Join with your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+49 69 509544247 Germany, Frankfurt am Main
+31 20 399 9804 The Netherlands, Amsterdam
+32 2 895 09 68 Belgium, Bruxelles
+41 43 217 23 02 Switzerland, Zurich

Find a local number – in case you are in another country
Phone Conference ID: 124 673 558#
Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company will be held on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at 15:00 CEST at the Amsterdam Stock Exchange (EURONEXT), Beursplein 5, 1012 JW Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The convening notice (including registration and voting instructions) and the agenda with explanatory notes, as well as all other meeting documents for the AGM, including the 2022 Annual Report and the 2023 Remuneration Policy are available for download on our corporate website:
www.roodmicrotec.com/en/investor-relations-en/annual-general-meeting.
 
Financial calendar
June 6, 2023 Annual general meeting of shareholders
July 20, 2023 Publication interim report 2023
July 20, 2023 Conference call for media, analysts and shareholders
October 19, 2023 Trading update quarter 3-2023

Forward-looking statements
This press release contains a number of forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and prognoses of the Board of Management, and on the information currently available to the Company. The statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which are hard to evaluate, such as the general economic conditions, interest rates, exchange rates, and amendments to statutory laws and regulations. The Board of Management of RoodMicrotec cannot guarantee that its expectations will materialize. Furthermore, RoodMicrotec does not accept any obligation to update the statements made in this press release.

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 headquarter is located in Deventer, Netherlands, with operational units in Nördlingen and Stuttgart, Germany.
For more information visit https://www.roodmicrotec.com

• Read more about RoodMicrotec N.V. publishes 2022 annual report with audited financial statements

• Total income for the first quarter of 2023 was EUR 4.6 million (first quarter 2022: EUR 3.6 million)
• Order book value increased by 12% compared to March 31, 2022
• Invitation to the presentation of the 2022 Annual Report on April 20, 2023 at 9.30 CEST

Deventer, April 13, 2023 – RoodMicrotec N.V., a leading independent company for semiconductors supply and quality services, today releases its trading update for the first quarter of 2023. The total income for the quarter was EUR 4.6 million, which is 28% higher than the total income in the first quarter of 2022. Having in mind the forecasted increase of the total income in 2023 over last year, it is encouraging to see the growth in total income in the first quarter and that the order book continues to rise. The order book contains orders for both 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.

“I’m very proud to be able to report another increase in total income for the first quarter of 2023. We are working very hard to support our customers in their demanding test and qualification tasks and the continuous high level of total income shows that we are doing a good job”, says Martin Sallenhag, CEO of RoodMicrotec. “The steady increase in the order book is a good indicator for the rest of the year and makes us confident for the future.”

RoodMicrotec will publish the 2022 Annual Report before the opening of the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange on Thursday, April 20, 2023. The Company’s Board of Management, Martin Sallenhag and Arvid Ladega, will comment on the report and answer questions during the conference call for media, analysts and shareholders to be held on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 9:30 CEST.

You are invited to join the Microsoft TEAMS event using the following login instructions:
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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 of 5-10% and thus in line with the financial targets. The geopolitical situation in the world and the current energy crisis 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.

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

• Read more about Trading Update: RoodMicrotec announces total income for the first quarter of 2023

[April 10, 2023 – Taipei, Taiwan] Test Research, Inc. (TRI) has unveiled its latest innovation in Conformal Coating Inspection, the TR7700 SIII Ultra CI. Equipped with advanced optical design, specialized multi-phase lighting, and intelligent inspection algorithms, this cutting-edge AOI can detect coating issues with unprecedented accuracy, measure coating thickness, and inspect dispensed flux and glue.

The TR7700 SIII Ultra CI AOI can precisely measure coating thickness from critical areas on the PCB, detecting unwanted coating spills near PCB connectors, sensitive components, and designated mounting holes. The CI software can identify common coating issues, including cracks, bubbles/voids, insufficient/excess coating, and loss of adhesion, with innovative algorithms calculating the maximum/minimum coating coverage length and measuring coating length, splash, or insufficient coating. The coating thickness measurement range is from 35 μm to 750 μm.

The Smart CI AOI allows for the creation of coating maps from CAD data for rapid deployment. The smart programming also extends to learning and tuning the coating programming for an accurate inspection.

Upgrade your conformal coating inspection with TRI's latest technology. For more information about the TR7700 SIII Ultra CI, please visit the link below, https://www.tri.com.tw/en/product/product_detail-60-2-1689-1.html.

TRI's PCBA Test and Inspection solutions and Industry 4.0 data-driven management system, YMS 4.0, can help manufacturers realize their production line's full potential. These systems are designed to interoperate with other manufacturing equipment, minimize downtime, optimize production quality, and reduce operator workload.

About TRI
Test Research, Inc. (TRI) offers the most robust product portfolio in the industry for Automatic Test and Inspection solutions. From Optical Inspection to Board Testing, TRI provides the most cost-effective solutions to meet a comprehensive range of manufacturing Test and Inspection requirements. Learn more at http://www.tri.com.tw. For sales and service information, please write to us at [email protected] call +886-2-2832 8918.

• Read more about TRI releases Next-level Conformal Coating Inspection

SLiM 100 delivers real-time detection and quantification of VOCs to the 1 ppb level

Santa Clara, CA — March 14, 2023 — Picarro Inc., a leading provider of chemical metrology systems for advanced semiconductor fabs, today announced the SLiM 100 Lithography Process Tool Monitoring System. The new 1-ppb class chemical metrology solution detects volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the lithography process in real time, enabling semiconductor manufacturers to quickly take steps to prevent excursions and detect non-visual defects, thereby improving yield.

As design features shrink, small amounts of airborne molecular contamination (AMC) from VOCs are resulting in significant increases in non-visual defects on reticles and wafers. Crystal growth defects on reticles, hazing of scanner optics, and t-topping of photoresists are some of the serious problems that are caused by the presence of undesired VOCs. Ultimately, these contaminants not only damage expensive lithography tools; they result in yield loss on the wafer.

To mitigate the negative effects of VOCs in the lithography process, fab operators need real-time measurements of VOCs at very low concentration levels. This is very difficult to do in the fab environment with traditional technologies because they are slow and difficult to use.

The SLiM 100 system is a real-time measurement system that is designed to run 24/7 in the fab environment. It is a fully integrated chemical metrology system that is robust, easy to operate, and is ideal for use as a high-volume process monitoring and control system. It measures and monitors 10 organic compounds that negatively affect the lithography process with concentration sensitivity down to 1 part per billion. The system can also accommodate analyzers that measure inorganic molecules at parts-per-trillion concentration levels.

“The Picarro SLiM 100 enables fab operators to detect and resolve semiconductor manufacturing issues much faster than other solutions,” said Dr. Sanjay Yedur, Director of Product Management at Picarro. “This robust system will allow them to reduce costs by halting production of defective wafers sooner and minimize downtime of lithography tools for maintenance and repair."

About Picarro Semiconductor Solutions
Picarro’s Semiconductor business offers industry leading solutions for airborne molecular contamination (AMC) and chemical contaminant monitoring within fabs and process tools. Picarro’s Semiconductor solutions respond to contaminants in seconds, not hours, enabling semiconductor manufacturers to quickly mitigate contamination events in cleanrooms, FOUP, and lithography process equipment – improving production yield. For more information, visit semi.picarro.com.

• Read more about Picarro’s New 1-ppb Class Chemical Metrology Solution for Lithography Process Tool Monitoring Enables Semiconductor Fabs to Improve Process Control