Brooks Instrument, a world leader in advanced flow measurement and control, recently celebrated a grand opening for its new manufacturing facility in Penang, Malaysia, where it produces mass flow controllers (MFCs) used in semiconductor and other critical gas flow control applications.

The 57,000-square-foot plant, which began shipping MFCs in January 2024, is Brooks Instrument’s fourth global production area. The other locations are in the U.S., Hungary, and Korea.

Brooks Instrument is owned by Illinois Tool Works (ITW), one of the world’s leading diversified manufacturers of specialized industrial equipment. ITW has a 42-year history of investment in Penang, with ITW Meritex providing packaging solutions for chips that support semiconductor back-end customers.

The Brooks Instrument grand opening took place at the end of August and included Dato’ Seri SH Wong, President of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA) and Dato’ Loo Lee Lian, CEO of InvestPenang, along with several other government officials, industry dignitaries, and customers.

Patty Hartzell, Executive Vice President, Test & Measurement and Electronics at ITW, gave the keynote address and paid tribute to the efforts of the team who made the new facility operational in record time.

“I am proud to say it took less than a year from the time we approved the capital expenditure to the day when the first mass flow controllers were produced in the factory,” said Hartzell.

She also recognized the support Brooks Instrument received from several government and industry groups, including InvestPenang, Majlis Bandaraya Seberang Perai (MBSP), the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and MSIA.

The new Penang site includes Brooks Instrument’s largest Class 100 clean room manufacturing area and will allow the company to double its worldwide MFC production capacity. The high-volume facility is mainly producing GF100 series mass flow controllers, which are often viewed as the semiconductor industry standard for reliable and repeatable delivery of process gasses.

The factory also serves as an additional location for manufacturing and parts inventory, complementing the company’s other production facilities while reducing the risk of a supply chain disruption.

About Brooks Instrument
Since 1946, Brooks Instrument has been a leader in precision fluid measurement and control technology. Providing instrumentation for flow, pressure and vapor delivery, the company serves customers in semiconductor and high-tech manufacturing, laboratories and other processes and industries. With manufacturing, sales and service locations in the Americas, Europe and Asia, Brooks Instrument has the world’s largest installed base of mass flow controllers.

For more information, please visit www.BrooksInstrument.com. The company is also on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/Brooks-Instrument) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/Brooks407).

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Chip Integration Technology Center (CITC) today announced the appointment of Toni Versluijs as the new chairman of its Supervisory Board. Versluijs will serve as the incoming chairman from September through December. Effective January 1, 2025, he will take over the responsibilities from chairman Roel Fonville who is retiring.

Versluijs has an extensive background of more than 25 years in the semiconductor industry, of which more than 15 years in general and executive management roles. Prior to this appointment, he worked for NXP, where he led the In-Vehicle Networking product line and was NXP Nijmegen site director and statutory director of NXP Netherlands. Most recently, he led the Business Group MOS at Nexperia, served as statutory director for Nexperia in the UK and was part of the company’s global executive leadership team.

He explains his choice for CITC: “I look forward to using my many years of experience in the semiconductor industry to contribute to the success of CITC in Nijmegen. Nijmegen is a location with a long heritage in semiconductor packages that have changed the world. CITC is a unique venture and has a unique position between private parties, the academic world and knowledge institutes.”

CITC is a smaller and different kind of organization than his previous employers, but Versluijs sees the potential: “CITC has attracted quite some talent in recent years, built partnerships and initiated new developments. In short: it has laid the foundation for growth, and it will flourish in the coming years. I am convinced that it has the potential to change the world of semiconductor packaging again.”

The current chairman of the CITC Supervisory Board, Roel Fonville, adds: “The Supervisory Board is very pleased to welcome Toni Versluijs to our midst. His personality and broad experience in the industry and in the Nijmegen region will help the Board to fulfill its role in securing the continued development of the organization.”

About CITC
Chip Integration Technology Center (CITC) is a non-profit, joint innovation center specializing in heterogeneous integration and advanced chip packaging technology. CITC has created an effective ecosystem in which companies, research and educational institutes work on bridging the gap between academics and industry. CITC's contribution to the ecosystem is to provide access to innovation, infrastructure, and education. CITC was founded in 2019 with strategic partners TNO and Delft University of Technology and is supported by local and regional governments.
www.citc.org

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HATFIELD, Pa. (USA), APRIL 18, 2024 — Brooks Instrument, a world leader in advanced flow measurement and control, has acquired Creative Machining Technology of Corona, California. The acquisition took place April 1, 2024, under Illinois Tool Works (ITW), Brooks Instrument’s parent company.

Creative Machining Technology (CMT) provides a variety of machining and manufacturing services, ranging from individual part production through end-item manufacturing, kitting and assembly.

The company has long been a key supplier to Brooks Instrument, with core competencies rooted in high-precision CNC machining. CMT has proven expertise manufacturing and polishing ultrahigh-purity components with extremely tight tolerances for demanding applications, including semiconductor manufacturing.

“By integrating Creative Machining Technology into Brooks Instrument, we are enhancing our in-house expertise for critical machined components and machining capabilities, which adds to our supply chain assurance for producing ultrahigh-purity instruments,” said Brent Best, Vice President and General Manager — Brooks Instrument Semiconductor Division, an ITW Company. “In addition, we’ve increased our capabilities for quick-turn customer R&D requests to create more innovative flow measurement and control solutions.”

CMT has extensive experience manufacturing to tolerances as tight as 0.0001". This proficiency and CMT’s manufacturing facilities will enable Brooks Instrument to more quickly and effectively design and produce complex wetted flow path components for the company’s industry-leading mass flow controllers (MFCs). MFCs are the most important element in the gas delivery systems used for semiconductor manufacturing. In addition, CMT has both Class 1,000 and Class 10,000 clean rooms for processing and handling extremely delicate electronic components that require a controlled environment.

“This acquisition is part of our strategic approach to grow our business and position us for long-term success in the semiconductor market as we ramp up to meet anticipated growth in this segment,” said Best. “Moving forward, we are excited to have CMT join Brooks Instrument as we focus on continuous improvement, growing our technology offerings and meeting our customers’ needs.”

The CMT acquisition is the latest in Brooks Instrument’s initiatives to serve the semiconductor industry. Earlier this year the company launched a new GF120xHT Series mass flow controller for high-temperature environments, while last year opened a new manufacturing site in Malaysia to expand production and partnership opportunities with key customers in the Asia-Pacific region.

For more information about Brooks Instrument’s full range of capabilities for the semiconductor industry, visit www.brooksinstrument.com/en/markets/semiconductor-manufacturing.

About Brooks Instrument
Since 1946, Brooks Instrument has been a leader in precision fluid measurement and control technology. Providing instrumentation for flow, pressure and vapor delivery, the company serves customers in semiconductor and high-tech manufacturing, laboratories and other processes and industries. With manufacturing, sales and service locations in the Americas, Europe and Asia, Brooks Instrument has the world’s largest installed base of mass flow controllers.

For more information, please visit www.BrooksInstrument.com. The company is also on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/Brooks-Instrument) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/Brooks407).

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PENANG, MALAYSIA - APRIL 2024 ViTrox, which aims to be the World’s Most Trusted Technology Company, is pleased to announce the expansion of its US-based support team with the appointment of Jeremy Woodworth as Technical Support Senior Engineer based in the United States, effective March 15, 2024. Jeremy plays a crucial role in supporting the growing business of our intelligent Advanced 3D Solder Paste Inspection (SPI) and Advanced 3D Optical Inspection (AOI). This strategic move strengthens ViTrox's commitment to providing exceptional service and support to its customers in the Americas and Canada.

Jeremy brings a wealth of experience and expertise to ViTrox Technologies, having honed his skills in the global SMT manufacturing industry over the past decade, specializing in SPI and AOI support for a diverse customer base. His educational background in Computer Networking Systems from ITT Technical Institute, San Diego, provides him with a solid foundation to excel in his new role.

With a proven track record of implementing a consultative sales approach and building strong customer relationships, Jeremy is poised to make significant contributions to ViTrox Technologies. His ability to identify and provide innovative solutions, coupled with his adeptness in managing SAP/CRM environments, positions him as a valuable asset in navigating the ever-evolving inspection industry landscape.

"We are delighted to welcome Jeremy Woodworth to our team," added Mr. Wee Kah Khim, CEO of Board Inspection and Embedded Solutions (BIE). " His extensive experience and dedication to customer satisfaction align perfectly with our company's values and vision for the future. We are confident that Jeremy will play a pivotal role in enhancing the overall customer experience."

"We are confident that Jeremy's expertise and dedication will further enhance our ability to meet the evolving needs of our customers in the Americas & Canada", said Richard Osborne, Sr. General Manager of U.S. and Canada. "His appointment reflects our ongoing commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions and exceptional support, reinforcing ViTrox's position as a leader in the industry."

ViTrox believes that Jeremy's appointment underscores ViTrox's commitment to exceeding customer expectations through top-notch service and support, aligning its commitment to being the World's Most Trusted Technology Company.

About ViTrox Technologies
ViTrox is committed to being the World’s Most Trusted Technology Company and the leading solutions provider through the most innovative, advanced, and cost-effective machine vision solutions of excellent quality to its customers by integrating ViTrox’s technologies, people, and strategic alliances.

ViTrox offers a full spectrum of solutions, ranging from Middle & Back-end Semiconductor Inspection Solutions, SMT PCB Assembly Vision Inspection Solutions, Integrated Industrial Embedded Solutions, and Industry 4.0 Manufacturing Intelligence Solutions. ViTrox is headquartered in Penang, Malaysia, with offices in Asia, Germany, and the United States and sales and support sites worldwide.

For more information about ViTrox’s products and services, please visit www.vitrox.com.

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Kitchener, Ontario, April 2, 2024 – The SEMI North America Information and Control Committee (I&CC) has announced that Albert Fuchigami, a Senior Standards Specialist at PEER Group®, has been confirmed as a Technical Committee co-chair during its recently held spring meeting.

As an I&CC co-chair, Fuchigami will help coordinate the various SEMI task forces responsible for the development and maintenance of communication and control SEMI Standards used to automate the semiconductor manufacturing process. Fuchigami will also play an important role in facilitating collaboration between the regional technical committees while providing mentorship and guidance on navigating SEMI rules and regulations.

“I greatly appreciate the support from committee members to confirm me as co-chair,” says Fuchigami. “SEMI I&C Standards are essential to satisfy our industry’s ever growing demands for big data, smart manufacturing, and automation in an efficient and scalable manner. I look forward to helping move their development further in this role.”

Fuchigami is heavily involved in the SEMI Standards Program in North America, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and China. He co-leads the SEMI North America Data Diagnostic Acquisition (DDA) Task Force, has authored various SEMI articles and tech briefs, and regularly shares his knowledge and expertise at industry conferences and events.

In recognition of his contributions to the international SEMI Standards program, Fuchigami was awarded the North American SEMI International Standards Leadership Award in 2022 and the Japan Information and Control Technical Committee Award in 2021.

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 2024. Follow PEER Group on LinkedIn.

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Kitchener, Ontario, March 28, 2024 – PEER Group® is proud to announce that it has earned Intel’s EPIC Distinguished Supplier Award. Through its dedication to Excellence, Partnership, Inclusion, and Continuous (EPIC) quality improvement, PEER Group has achieved a level of performance that consistently exceeds Intel’s expectations.

“As one of the 27 Distinguished Supplier Award recipients in 2024, PEER Group stands out among suppliers in Intel’s trusted supply chain,” said Keyvan Esfarjani, chief global operations officer at Intel. “Through their relentless drive to improve, they have achieved a level of performance that consistently exceeds Intel’s expectations and serves as a benchmark across the ecosystem.”

The Intel EPIC Distinguished Supplier Award recognizes a consistent level of strong performance across all performance criteria. Of the thousands of Intel suppliers around the world, only a few hundred qualify to participate in the EPIC Supplier Program. The EPIC Distinguished Award is the second-highest honor a supplier can achieve. In 2024, only 27 suppliers in the Intel supply chain network earned this award.

To qualify for an Intel EPIC Distinguished Supplier Award, suppliers must exceed expectations, meet aggressive performance goals, and score 80 percent or higher in performance assessments throughout the year. Suppliers must also meet 80 percent or more of their improvement plan deliverables and demonstrate formidable quality and business systems.

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 2024. Follow PEER Group on LinkedIn.

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