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Asyst wins world’s largest 300mm fab automation contract for Toshiba’s Fab 4 |
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Mar 05, 2007 at 02:11 PM |
 Asyst Technologies' success in supplying Toshiba's Fab 3 300mm fab in Yokkaichi, Japan with its automated material handling system (AMHS), has been rewarded with the contract to supply the AMHS system for Toshiba's latest 300mm fab, Fab 4, which is expected to have a capacity in excess of 150,000 wafer starts per month, when fully utilized.
Fab 3 is currently the most aggressively ramping 300mm fab, producing
NAND Flash memory in a Joint Venture with SanDisk. Fab 4 would
therefore become the largest 300mm facility in the world and Asyst
would have installed the single largest AMHS in the semiconductor
industry.
Steve Schwartz, chair and CEO of Asyst, said, "Toshiba is one of the world's largest and most technically advanced electronics manufacturers and has been a key customer for many years. We are delighted that our AMHS system was selected by Toshiba because of our experience in Fab 3 and our commitment to reduce cost and increase efficiency in both Fabs 3 and 4. Because of this, they have entrusted us with total responsibility for wafer transport, storage, and tool loading in their newest and largest factory. Coupled with our high penetration of ‘IsoPort' loadports and ‘AdvanTag' RFID systems at Toshiba, this AMHS win validates Asyst's market leadership in 300mm fab automation and in the rapidly growing 300mm market in Japan."
Although the company did not supply details about the value of the contract, such a project would generally exceed $100 million over several ramp phases. However, due to the size of Toshiba's Fab 4, this figure could be more than double any conventional contract amounts. Installation of the system is expected to start in the spring of 2007.
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