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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (42806)	2/28/2001 9:24:42 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 70976

ASML holds steady with higher lithography forecast--for now By Mark LaPedus Semiconductor Business News (02/28/01 03:34 a.m. PST) SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- While Japan's Nikon Corp. has cut back its forecast for lithography tool shipments this year, rival supplier ASM Lithography is still holding steady with its original projections--at least for now. Earlier this month, ASML of Veldhoven, the Netherlands, estimated that it would ship between 400 to 450 lithography systems in 2001, up from 368 units in 2000 (see Feb. 8 story). With major chip makers cutting capital spending plans, ASML has not changed its forecast, but the Dutch company is still worried about the market for 2001. "The severity and fall in the market is bigger than our customers expected," said Dave Chavoustie, executive vice president of sales for ASML. "The market is a disappointment," added Chavoustie, during an interview at the annual SPIE Microlithography Conference in Santa Clara. "Clearly, there is a softening for 200-mm [lithography tools] in the market." On the other hand, there are bright spots for the company. In fact, ASML says it is still sold out for most products during the 2001 campaign. "Our lead times are longer than anybody else in the industry," Chavoustie asserted. "There is still demand for new technology. For example, there is unfulfilled demand for 193-nm tools. There is also a lot of momentum for 300-mm tools." But ASML's rival, Nikon and other equipment suppliers are feeling the heat. Reports out of Japan said Nikon stock tumbled on Tuesday when the company cut its forecast for exposure tool shipments in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins in April. Nikon said it expects to ship 450-to-460 systems in the fiscal 2002 year, the same as it will deliver in the current fiscal year, which ends on March 31. Nikon has been forecasting an increase in lithography system sales in the 500-to-550 range. At the lithography conference in Santa Clara, an official from another major Japanese supplier, Canon Inc., indicated that the market is "shaky."