PRI Automation Extends Lead in Semiconductor Tool Automation Market; Japanese Firm Purchases 40 PRI Controllers for Use in 300mm Wafer Fab
PRI's new StarCon Controller and StarBot dual-arm robot now shipping; latest OEM offerings provide process tool manufacturers with the standard tool interface required in all 300mm wafer fabs
BILLERICA, Mass., Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- PRI Automation, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRIA - news), a global leader in factory automation systems, software, and services to the semiconductor industry, today announced that it has shipped 40 of its new StarCon(TM) controllers -- the ``brains'' that control process tool movements -- to a Japanese metrology equipment manufacturer. The manufacturer has already integrated several StarCons with its tools and installed them in a 300mm wafer fab in Taiwan, where they are providing complete control of the tools' atmospheric wafer-handling systems.
PRI also announced beta shipments of its new StarBot TwinStar(TM) dual arm robot, designed to handle fast wafer swaps of less than three seconds, to a domestic metrology company. The StarCon controller and StarBot TwinStar are critical components of PRI's next-generation Integrated Front End (IFE) systems, which enable semiconductor equipment manufacturers to link their tools to the factory-wide automation systems required in 300mm wafer fabs.
According to Robert de Neve, vice president and general manager of PRI Automation's OEM Systems Division, one of PRI's competitive advantages in the 300mm tool automation market is that it can sell components or complete front- end systems to process tool manufacturers. ``PRI offers more flexibility to 300mm tool manufacturers than any other vendor,'' said de Neve. ``Our newly designed StarCon controller and TwinStar dual-arm robot have enabled us to achieve a number of major contract wins already. In addition to the large Japanese StarCon order, we have also shipped StarCons to companies in the U.S. and Korea.''
StarCon and StarBot TwinStar are also components of PRI's existing atmospheric robot systems for 200mm wafer processing.
About PRI Automation
PRI Automation, Inc., headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, is a leading global supplier of advanced factory automation systems, software, and services that optimize the productivity of semiconductor and precision electronics manufacturers as well as OEM process tool manufacturers. PRI is the only company to provide a tightly integrated and flexible hardware and software solution that optimizes the flow of products, data, materials and resources throughout the production chain. The company has thousands of systems installed at approximately one hundred locations throughout the world. For more information, visit PRI online at www.pria.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release includes forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements relating to the expected benefits of PRI Automation products. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include the manner in which the customer uses the products and integrates them with third-party components and the following additional factors: the downturn in the semiconductor capital equipment industry is harming our business; fluctuating demand for our products makes it difficult to manage our business efficiently; we have reduced our workforce in response to the industry downturn and reduced demand for our products and our smaller workforce may be inadequate to handle increased demand for our products; we may continue to experience delays and technical difficulties with new product introductions such as our TurboStocker product; 300mm technology, in which we have invested heavily, is being adopted more slowly than we expected and competition for early 300mm orders is intense; our lengthy sales cycle makes it difficult to anticipate sales; our operating results fluctuate significantly in response to a variety of factors; delay in our shipment of a single significant order could substantially decrease our sales for a period; the application of new accounting guidance under SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin number 101 will result in delayed recognition of revenues from our factory automation systems; we typically charge a fixed price for our factory automation systems and therefore, we are vulnerable to cost overruns; we have a limited number of customers, we do not have long-term purchase agreements with our customers, and the loss, cancellation or delay of an order by any of these customers could harm our business; we must continually improve our technology and develop new products to remain competitive; demand for less expensive semiconductor is increasing pressure to reduce our prices; industry consolidation and outsourcing could reduce the number of available customers; our operations outside North America expose us to special risks of doing business internationally; our investments in the Asia-Pacific market may not be successful; we face significant competition from other automation companies; future acquisitions may disrupt our operations; we are increasingly dependent on subcontractors and one or a few suppliers of certain components, subassemblies and manufacturing processes; the failure of our key suppliers to deliver components on time could harm our business; we depend on our executive officers and other key personnel; our software products may contain defects that could result in claims and harm our business; we may be unable to protect our proprietary technology; others might claim that we infringe their technology; rising energy costs may increase our operating expenses; we are subject to pending class action securities litigation that could be costly to defend, divert the attention of our management and, if determined adversely to us, seriously harm our business; and other factors identified in our registration statement on Form S-3, file number 333-60180, filed with the SEC on May 3, 2001. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements included in this release.
StarCon and StarBot TwinStar are trademarks of PRI Automation, Inc. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE: PRI Automation |
