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Technology Stocks : MEMC INT'L. (WFR -NYSE) The Sleeping Giant? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: All Mtn Ski who wrote (3181)	3/25/1998 11:47:00 AM
From: All Mtn Ski	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4697

Wafer News: Fluoroware introduces 300-mm shipper CHASKA, Minn.--Fluoroware Inc. here introduced a new 300-mm wafer shipment container, which is designed to protect raw wafers while they are being transported from the silicon material suppliers to chip makers. Fluoroware claims its 300-mm Voyager now represents the industry's lowest cost of ownership 300-mm wafer shipper. Prior to this week's product launch, Fluoroware said the 300-mm Voyager had been qualified and purchased by an unidentified major wafer producer. "Due to the increased cost to produce 300-mm wafers, protecting these valuable investments during shipping is even more crucial," noted Weldon Smith, vice president and general manager for Fluoroware's material and device handling business. "With this large of an investment at stake, chipmakers aren't willing to risk receiving wafers that are damaged due to shock, vibration or contamination." Fluoroware said industry estimates indicate that silicon suppliers are now shipping about 22,000 300-mm wafers per month. By year's end, that number is expected to grow to 35,000 a month. The Voyager shipper has been designed to protect the large diameter wafers at low cost. Fluoroware said the system has a compact design (7.0 x 13.1 x 12.7 inches) and its light (3.2 kg or 7.1 lbs. with wafers). These features help to reduce the cost of cleaning and shipping wafers to chip manufacturers. Storage costs are also reduced, allowing more wafers to be stored in inventory or work-in-progress locations, noted Fluoroware. The Voyager wafer shipper has a patented cushion design consisting of top and bottom covers that securely hold and cushion the wafers during shipping with no need for tape. The shipper body is comprised of transparent polycarbonate material - an ultra-clean material that allows visual inspection of the wafers inside the carrier. WFR keeps trying to rally, then someone sells and knocks the price down...easier to do with light volume... Tom