CHANDLER, AZ — Yield Engineering Systems (YES) has leased 123,000 square feet within the Price Corridor in Chandler, Arizona. The facility will support YES in serving the region’s thriving semiconductor industry.

YES develops and manufactures thermal, deposition, and wet process equipment that is used in semiconductor, life sciences, and display manufacturing. The Chandler facility will house a “Technology Center” with R&D functions, cleanroom operations, advanced manufacturing, customer support, and office space.

“Our new Technology Center will provide us with valuable proximity to key customers and vendors, as well as access to the highly skilled workforce that defines Chandler’s business ecosystem,” said Rezwan Lateef, President of YES. “We are grateful to Chandler’s Economic Development team, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and Arizona Commerce Authority for their assistance with this major milestone in our mission to serve the semiconductor market as a preferred provider.” Mark Donahue is the local YES manager overseeing the project.

The company plans to have approximately 100 highly educated employees based at the Chandler facility, mostly in technology and engineering positions. The multi-million-dollar capital investment to build out the space will enable the development of advanced technology that supports the US semiconductor manufacturing sector.

“YES marks another California-based company drawn to Arizona, highlighting the state’s unmatched business climate,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “We are grateful to YES for their commitment to Arizona, creating new jobs while strengthening the state’s robust semiconductor supply chain.”

"The Greater Phoenix semiconductor ecosystem has quickly become a top global destination for leading manufacturers like YES," said Chris Camacho, President and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. "This multimillion-dollar investment provides high-quality job opportunities for residents, and we look forward to supporting YES in its future growth and successful integration into the market."

“The long-term vision for Price Corridor continues to be realized as we welcome another dynamic and market-leading company to Chandler,“ said Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke. “We would like to thank YES for their investment and trust in Chandler, as we know there are many options throughout the world for cutting-edge facilities like this.”

Yield Engineering Systems’ Chandler facility adds to the state’s booming semiconductor industry. In the past six months, EMD Electronics announced an expansion of its chemical delivery systems business at a new factory in Chandler, creating over 100 jobs and Edwards announced a new manufacturing facility also in Chandler, creating 200 jobs.

Media Contacts
Victoria Barnes, Yield Engineering Systems, [email protected]
Alyssa Tufts, Arizona Commerce Authority, [email protected]
Stephanie Romero, City of Chandler, [email protected]

About Yield Engineering Systems (YES)
Yield Engineering Systems, Inc. (YES) is a preferred provider of high-tech, cost-effective equipment for enhancing surfaces and materials. The company’s product lines include thermal processing systems, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) systems, and wet process equipment used for the precise surface modification of semiconductor substrates, semiconductor and MEMS devices, LED displays, and biodevices. Customers ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies rely on YES systems to create and volume-produce innovative products in a wide range of markets. YES is headquartered in Fremont, California, with a growing global presence. For more information, please visit yieldengineering.com.

About the Arizona Commerce Authority
The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is the state's leading economic development organization with a streamlined mission to grow and strengthen Arizona's economy. The ACA uses a three-pronged approach to advance the overall economy: attract, expand, create - attract out-of-state companies to establish operations in Arizona; work with existing companies to expand their business in Arizona and beyond; and help entrepreneurs create new Arizona businesses in targeted industries. For more information, please visit azcommerce.com and follow the ACA on Twitter @azcommerce.

About City of Chandler, Arizona
Chandler, Arizona has built a reputation as a Community of Innovation. Life in Chandler goes beyond a thriving and dynamic business community with progressive entrepreneurship. Known for its rich diversity, the City offers an outstanding quality of life for all generations with great schools and recreational opportunities. Chandler has grown to become the state's fourth largest City with a population of more than 281,000. Chandler has been named one of the nation's Best Places to Find a Job and Best Cities for Women in Tech. The City also is one of the safest communities in the nation and boasts AAA bond ratings from all three national rating agencies, one of only 40 communities to achieve this distinction. For more information, visit the City website, or connect with the City on social media.

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Würzburg, Germany / Brisbane, Australia – The Australian National Fabrication Facility – Queensland Node (ANFF-Q) based at the University of Queensland, Australia has placed a purchase order for the recently launched Two-Photon Polymerization tool MPO 100. The system, developed by Multiphoton Optics GmbH and manufactured by its parent company Heidelberg Instruments Mikrotechnik GmbH, will provide cutting-edge fabrication capability in nano- and microfabrication to ANFF-Q.

“ANFF-Q is an open-door R&D facility assisting clients from industry and academia to progress their products. To expand our fabrication capabilities, ANFF-Q was looking for a nano 3D printer with highest printing resolution as well as advanced fabrication techniques and the MPO 100 met all our criteria”, says Anthony Christian, ANFF-Q Manager. “The technical details of the MPO 100 stand out from other potential candidates - especially the achievable resolution of 100 nanometers as a pivotal parameter and the very attractive stitching-free fabrication capability”, adds Juan Li, Senior Professional Officer Micro- and Nanofabrication at ANFF-Q.

ANFF-Q serves a wider scope of applications than normal R&D facilities and provides a safe, IP neutral environment where the clients’ designs and developments remain their property. The MPO 100 will be used for target applications in micro-optics, microfluidics, micro needles, and diffractive optical elements. The system will be the third Heidelberg Instruments machine after the MLA 150 and a µPG101, which are already in place at ANFF-Q.

“The MPO 100 was officially introduced into the market end at the end of January in 2022. The purchase of the tool by ANFF-Q was one of the first orders and confirms the customer-oriented development of the system. We are looking forward to a close collaboration with ANFF-Q”, says Dr. Benedikt Stender, CEO of Multiphoton Optics.

During the tender, Multiphoton Optics was supported by Heidelberg Instruments’ local distributor Nano Vacuum, which have already worked closely on several successful projects with ANFF-Q. “We are thrilled to be able to bring the first MPO 100 system to Australia. With over 25 years of experience in the nanofabrication industry, Nano Vacuum is always eager to see the conception of innovative tools and cutting-edge technologies in the research space!”, says Dr. Ava Faridi, Product Manager at Nano Vacuum.

• Read more about MPO 100 GOES AUSTRALIA: ANFF-Q PURCHASES 3D NANOPRINTER

Kitchener, Ontario, April 27, 2022 – PEER Group®, a leading supplier of innovative factory automation software products, is hosting a live webinar on May 17, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. PT/ 1:00 p.m. ET that will help explain how the upcoming integration of gRPC into the EDA Standards will impact the semiconductor industry.

The webinar, titled: gRPC: What You Need to Know, will be hosted by PEER Group’s Director of Marketing, Doug Suerich, along with SEMI Standards Technical Committee Member, Albert Fuchigami.

Topics covered will include an overview gRPC and how it fits into existing factory automation communication landscapes, how gRPC interacts with EDA / Interface A, and the impact it will have on other SEMI Standards such as SECS/GEM and GEM300. The webinar will wrap up with suggestions on how to future-proof your software in preparation for the transition to gRPC. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions during a Q&A.

Those interested in watching the free webinar can request a recording by visiting: https://www.peergroup.com/grpc-what-you-need-to-know/

About PEER Group
PEER Group® is a leading 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 10 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 hosting webinar on the integration of gRPC into EDA / Interface A standards

RoodMicrotec shows strong financial performance for the year 2021, resulting in:

• Total income of EUR 14.5 million with an EBITDA of EUR 2.8 million
• Net profit of EUR 1.4 million
• Cash flow from operating activities of EUR 2.2 million

Deventer, April 21, 2022 – RoodMicrotec N.V., a leading independent company for semiconductors supply and quality services, today publishes the Company’s Annual Report for the financial year 2021 including the audited financial statements. The 2021 Annual Report is available for download on the corporate website: www.roodmicrotec.com/en/investor-relations-en/financial-publications.

The total income for 2021 amounted to EUR 14.5 million, which was 22% higher than in 2020. The net result after taxes for 2021 was EUR 1.4 million positive, mainly due to a higher delivery of services during the year.

“We were expecting a significant increase in total income and a profit in 2021 and managed to outperform our expectations by focusing on our core business and services”, says Martin Sallenhag, CEO of RoodMicrotec. “We are very pleased with the overall Company development during 2021 and expect that the increase in total income will continue in 2022. The cash situation makes it possible for us to invest in capacity and capability to meet the increasing demand from the market and our customers.”

Throughout 2021, the Test Operations unit showed a sharp increase, which was related to the general up-swing in the market and the excellent position RoodMicrotec has with its customers. The Supply Chain Management unit also showed a strong increase compared to last year. In the second half of 2021, we however saw a decrease in total income compared to the first half of 2021 due to the world-wide shortage of components and raw materials in the semiconductor industry. RoodMicrotec has put actions in place to mitigate the impacts as far as possible. Some of the new projects have not yet been moved into volume production due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the Qualification & Failure Analysis unit saw a decrease compared to 2020 due to the delayed start of new projects. Some of these delayed projects started in the second half of 2021, so the total income in this unit increased compared to the first half of 2021.

2021 HIGHLIGHTS / MAIN DEVELOPMENTS
Financials
• Total income: EUR 14.5 million (2020: EUR 11.9 million).
• EBITDA: EUR 2.8 million (2020: EUR 1.3 million).
• Balance sheet total: EUR 15.0 million (2020: EUR 14.3 million).
• Net result: EUR 1.4 million positive (2020: EUR 0.3 million negative).
• Net cash flow from operating activities: EUR 2.0 million (2020: EUR 1.5 million).
Commercial/operational
• RoodMicrotec now offers test services at wafer level for new types of photonic integrated circuits to customers from the semiconductor industry. Jenoptik provides the necessary technology platform with the UFO Probe® Card and thus supports RoodMicrotec in setting up the respective test structure.
• An AIOLOS Wafer Level Test Handler from AEM’s Afore Wafer Level Test Solutions has been installed at the RoodMicrotec facility in Nördlingen. With this handler, RoodMicrotec is now able to offer its customers additional capabilities in the fast-growing markets of sensor testing. This system is also set up for 200 mm wafer frame probing of a wide range of semiconductor devices. RoodMicrotec will not only extend its business areas, but also its testing capabilities.
• During 2021 the booked SCM projects have continued to progress towards production through test program development as well as qualification work. Some of the projects are now close to ramp-up and we start to see the first volumes for these customers. The SCM team is continuing to prepare for future projects with pre-development of certain functions that will be used in future products.
• A consortium of 31 key players for packaging of electronics, optics and photonics, leading equipment suppliers and testing experts from 11 countries are involved in APPLAUSE, “Advanced packaging for photonics, optics and electronics for low cost manufacturing in Europe,”. The project fosters the European semiconductor value chain by building new tools, methods and processes for high volume manufacturing where RoodMicrotec will be able to benefit with new solutions in these areas.
• The refinancing of the bond loan issued in 2014 has been completed by the end of the first quarter 2021. A group of long-time investors provides the refinancing in the amount of EUR 2.6 million. Also the management participates so show their confidence in the Company’s business plans and future projects.
• The Court of Appeal has given a verdict in the legal proceedings concerning the dispute about (non) fulfillment of contractual obligations of a debtor. The Court of Appeal ratified the verdicts of the Subdistrict Court of Zwolle and sentenced the debtor to bear the costs of appeal.
• Prime Capital Debt SCS, SICAV-FIS – Robus Recovery Sub-Fund ("Robus") initiated legal proceedings before the Regional Court of Hamburg (Landgericht Hamburg) against RoodMicrotec GmbH regarding the perpetual bond (Genussscheine) of EUR 500k that RoodMicrotec GmbH issued in 2012.

Events after balance sheet date
• In February 2022 Robus and RoodMicrotec GmbH agreed on a full and final settlement of the 2012 perpetual bond. This final settlement has been reached before and confirmed by the Regional Court of Hamburg.
• Robus initiated legal proceedings before the Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main (Landgericht Frankfurt am Main) against RoodMicrotec GmbH regarding the perpetual bond (Genussscheine) of EUR 1,994k that RoodMicrotec GmbH issued in 2010. RoodMicrotec GmbH contests all allegations and claims, and denies that any compensation payments are due on the perpetual bond or that any grounds for extraordinary termination of the perpetual bond exist. Accordingly, RoodMicrotec GmbH will ask the court to reject Robus' claim.

Key figures
(x EUR 1,000) 2021 2020
Results
Total income 14,532 11,874
EBITDA 2,786 1,345
EBIT (operating result) 1,227 -199
EBT 1,038 -369
Net cash flow from operating activities 2,049 1,517
Net result 1,435 -265

Capital, Debt & Liquidity Ratios
Total assets 14,995 14,337
Group equity 5,583 3,844
Net debt 374 1,870
Invested capital (net debt + equity) 5,957 5,714
Gearing ratio (net debt/ capital) 6% 33%
Solvency (group equity / total liabilities) 37% 27%
Debt ratio (net debt / EBITDA) 0.1 1.4
Net working capital 317 -55
Working capital ratio (net working capital / total income) 2.2% -0.5%
ROCE (EBIT / average invested capital) 21.0% -3.3%

Assets
Tangible and intangible fixed assets 8,295 9,177
Investments in (in)tangible fixed assets 681 866
Depreciation of (in)tangible fixed assets 1,559 1,544

Data per share (x EUR 1)
Group equity 0.074 0.051
Operating results 0.016 -0.003
Net cash flow from operating activities 0.027 0.020
Net result 0.019 -0.004
Share price: at year-end 0.201 0.183
Share price: highest 0.267 0.267
Share price: lowest 0.176 0.107

Other information
Number of issued shares at year end (x 1,000) 75,076 74,896
Average number of employees (FTE) 89 86
Total income / Average FTE 163 138

Sales and result
In 2021, RoodMicrotec’s total income came in 22% higher than in 2020 at EUR 14.5 million (2020: EUR 11.9 million), with 94% of its total sales in the European countries.

In the first half of 2021, wafers were ordered and received for one of our SCM customers to manage the supply chain during a planned change of an assembly house. About EUR 0.5 million has been realized for these wafers as total income and approximately the same amount has been accounted for in the cost for raw materials and consumables. The parts will be delivered during 2022, where only part of the selling price will be recognized in the total income but with a positive impact on the net result.

Total income from the automotive sector increased in 2021 by 37% to EUR 6.9 million (2020: EUR 5.0 million) and represents 48% of the total income. The total income in the industrial / medical sector increased in 2021 by 15% to EUR 6.3 million (2020: EUR 5.5 million) and represents 43% of the total income. The HiRel / aerospace sector increased by 2% to EUR 0.9 million (2020: EUR 0.9 million). The total income in this sector mainly consists of failure analysis and qualification work and this is very much depending on the design cycles at our customers. Total income in other sectors declined by 8% to EUR 0.5 million (2020: EUR 0.5 million).

Total income by market sector:
(x EUR 1,000) 2021 2020 change

Automotive 6,886 5,021 37.1%
Industrial/Healthcare 6,270 5,454 15.0%
HiRel / Aerospace 926 908 2.0%
Others 450 491 -8.4%
Total 14,532 11,874 22.4%

In 2021 the total income in the Supply Chain Management unit increased by 27% to EUR 3.4 million (2020: EUR 2.7 million). The total income in the Test Operations unit increased by 46% to EUR 7.9 million (2020: EUR 5.4 million). The total income in the Qualification & Failure Analysis unit came in 15% lower, at EUR 3.2 million (2020: EUR 3.8 million).

Total income results per operational unit:
(x EUR 1,000) 2021 2020 change

Supply Chain Management 3,364 2,659 26.5%
Test Operations 7,938 5,429 46.2%
Qualification & Failure Analysis 3,230 3,786 -14.7%
Total 14,532 11,874 22.4%

Personnel and organization
During 2021, RoodMicrotec continued to optimize the organization to keep track with the changing demands from the customers and markets. Furthermore, we recruit highly experienced personnel to be able to support our plans for the future. The average number of full time employees (FTE) was 89 in 2021. Total income per average full-time employee increased to EUR 163,000 from EUR 138,000 in 2020. Our policy is to strive for growth of sales per FTE.

Until May 2021 we used short-time working in our company in order to be able to react to the international effects of COVID-19. After that date the demand from our customers was high and stable and we therefore decided to discontinue the short-time work. Short-time work had an effect on the average full-time employees of minus 4 FTEs. It was and is absolutely crucial for us not to have to lay off any employees, so we were very happy to be able to use the short-time working option. In some positions, our employees have also decided to voluntarily work more from home in order to reduce the number of colleagues present in our facilities.

We have not experienced any interruptions in the business operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures taken with masks, distance between the working places, home offices and general care, have enabled us to offer a safe environment for our employees and we have had very few incidents in the company during 2021.

Outlook
RoodMicrotec expects the total income in 2022 to be in the range of EUR 15.0 million to EUR 15.6 million with a positive result before tax. The current situation in the world regarding lead-times for wafers and packaging as well as shipment delays may impact the ability to achieve the expected total income. The war in Ukraine could also have an impact on the business but in the short term we don’t see any significant impacts. RoodMicrotec is keeping a close eye on the situation and is doing everything possible to mitigate any impact.

Conference call
You are invited to take part in RoodMicrotec’s conference call for shareholders, financial press and analysts on
Thursday, April 21, 2022 at 9:30 CEST.
The management will present the Annual Report 2021 in detail and answer your questions.
The dial-in number for the call is: +31 (0)20 531 5863 (via operator)

Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company will be held by webcast (virtual meeting) on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 15:00 CEST. The Board of Management and Supervisory Board have decided to organize the AGM in such manner, that it can only be attended by registered shareholders through a webcast. Shareholders do not have the option to attend the AGM in person, as the Meeting will only be held remotely via a digital platform (virtual meeting).

The convening notice (including registration and voting instructions) and the agenda with explanatory notes, as well as all other meeting documents for the AGM will be available from Thursday April 28, 2022 onwards on our corporate website: www.roodmicrotec.com/en/investor-relations-en/annual-general-meeting.
 
Financial calendar
April 28, 2022 Publication of invitation and agenda for the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
June 9, 2022 Annual General Meeting of shareholders
July 21, 2022 Publication Interim Report 2022
July 21, 2022 Conference call for shareholders, press and analysts
October 13, 2022 Trading update quarter 3-2022

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

Further information
Martin Sallenhag - CEO, Arvid Ladega - CFO
Telephone: +31 570 745623 Email: [email protected] Web: www.roodmicrotec.com

This press release is published in English only.

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