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Technology Stocks : Speedfam [SFAM] Lovers Unite !
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To: SemiBull who wrote (3044)5/28/1998 2:10:00 AM
From: RockyC  Read Replies (3) of 3736
 
Sources are always fun but since I work in the industry I'd say I have a little more detail than "sources". The trends I was referring to are that AMAT is gaining marketshare. As much as I hate AMAT, its true. This has only been happening in the past 2 qtrs so most of AMAT's gain won't show up till the CY98 numbers are released.

Specifics you wanted, here they are. AMAT is gaining because of their vast sales & support network that is larger than ALL of SFAMs company (by a factor of 4). Also, the machine is pretty good now after many early problems. SFAMs strength was oxide CMP and that is precisely where AMAT & a Japanese competitor (Ebara) are gaining share. Why you ask? Well in AMAT's case, they are finally in the market with a good machine and any engineer with a sense of self preservation will almost always chose AMAT when all things are equal. SFAM's other (early) strength was tungsten CMP, the past year IPEC's 676 & 776 have done well against it and SFAM has all but lost that battle too. So they are losing on 2 fronts (the only 2 that exist), oxide & tungsten. Lastly, the SFAM machine is ill suited to polish copper wafers and they will have considerable problems when the battlefield moves there in earnest. Both AMAT & IPEC have copper machines at Sematech, SFAM wasn't even considered.
Sorry this took so long and sorry to doubt you. I love a good debate. CMP happens to be a particular expertise of mine.
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