VLSI Research Reports that Kulicke & Soffa Increases
Ball Bonder Market Share In 2002
Willow Grove, PA, April 21, 2003—Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: KLIC) today announced that VLSI Research has issued its “2002 Market Share Data Report” including worldwide revenue for automatic ball bonders. This report accurately represents the company’s sales for ball bonders during calendar 2002. According to VLSI Research, the ball bonder market increased from $334.5 million in calendar 2001 to $356.2 million in calendar 2002. At the same time, the VLSI report indicates that K&S ball bonder market sales and share increased from $93.7 million (28% share) in 2001 to $129.8 million (36% share) in 2002. The ball bonder market is served by the K&S Maxum and the Nu-Tek ball bonders.
Commenting on the report, VLSI Research’s President and CEO, Dan Hutcheson said, “The ball bonder market is always a fierce competition among 10 companies that we track. However, K&S has remained the leader and increased their share last year to 36% with Shinkawa (22%) and ASM Pacific (19%) rounding out the big three players. The ball bonder segment is the largest portion of the automatic wire bonder market.”
Kulicke and Soffa Also Increases Market Share
In Automatic Wire Bonder Market
Hutcheson further remarked, “In 2002 the automatic wire bonder market was $408.3 million. K&S also leads this larger market, with a 34% share according to VLSI Research.“ Jack Belani, vice president of Marketing at K&S, commented, “K&S automatic wire bonder revenue for calendar 2002 was about $141 million, representing a significant increase over calendar 2001. We have verified that the 2002 VLSI Report contains accurate sales data for K&S wire bonders. The report shows an increased market share for the automatic wire bonder market as well as the ball bonder segment, which is consistent with our belief.”
The estimates of market share contained in this release come from VLSI Research Report dated April 15, 2003. Kulicke & Soffa assumes no obligation with respect to any numbers or statements contained in that report. The information in this release concerning historical market shares is not intended to represent a prediction as to the company’s future performance which may be better or worse than its historical performance.
Kulicke & Soffa (Nasdaq: KLIC) is the world's leading supplier of semiconductor assembly and test interconnect equipment, materials and technology. We offer unique wire bonding solutions, combining wafer dicing and wire bonding equipment with bonding wire and capillaries. Flip chip solutions include wafer bumping services and technology. Chip scale and wafer level packaging solutions include Ultra CSP® technology. Test interconnect solutions include standard and vertical probe cards, ATE interface assemblies and ATE boards for wafer testing, as well as test sockets and contactors for all types of packages. Kulicke & Soffa's web site address is kns.com.
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Company Contact: Michael Sheaffer
215-784-6411 phone
215-784-6167 fax
msheaffer@kns.com |
