Munich, Germany-Equipment maker Karl Suss Group has begun operations under the name "SUSS MicroTec," adopting the name of its German holding company. The change was made to reinforce the company's position as a global supplier of manufacturing equipment for large-scale production, according to the company. "The new name and logo symbolize a turning point in the history of the company," said Franz Richter, president and CEO. Richter said the company's change from "a simple equipment manufacturer for universities and R&D applications" to a broadline supplier for large-scale production warranted updating the company image. Suss began in 1949 with three workers in a bombed-out apartment, as a representative of optics company Ernst Leitz. The first semiconductor manufacturing equipment was designed 15 years later in a Munich garage. Today the company employs about 1,000 people worldwide. [suss.de] Physics Symposium Set for April 7-11 Dallas-The International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS) will convene April 7-11 at the Hyatt Regency to celebrate its 40th annual meeting. [irps.org]
Kulicke & Soffa Opens European Service Center Willow Grove, Pa.-Kulicke & Soffa Indus-tries has opened a new European Service Center in Germering, Germany, near Munich. The Service Center will offer 24-hour spare-parts service, as well as comprehensive support for the entire K&S product line, according to the company. The company has also opened branches in the Netherlands and Switzerland. [kns.com] GPS Technologies Named Speedline Partner New Isenburg, Germany-Speedline Technologies has selected GPS Technologies GmbH, New Isenburg, as distributor for the Austrian and German markets. GPS will handle all service and support operations in both countries for Speedline equipment. The GPS staff is composed of industry veterans, former Speedline employees and Speedline-trained factory service engineers, including Franz Baier, principal and contact for Germany's southwestern region. [speedline.cookson.com] CS2 Receives $25M Funding from Investor Brussels, Belguim-Packaging foundry Custom Silicon Config-uration Services (CS2) has finalized negotiations, begun in August, for a $25 million investment by Business 21 sa, a Luxembourg-based investment company. CS2 said it will now be able to "finance the existing and expected short-term cash drains and development of the company." Yves De Poorter, CEO, added that CS2 has "restructured every department...by retaining and reinforcing our core competencies." From June to September, the number of employees decreased from 186 to 157. "This reduction is the result of, on the one hand, redundancies linked to the implementation of the (recovery and payment plan)...and to natural attrition," according to its financial report. |
Karl Suss Group, Munich, Repositioned as SUSS MicroTec
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