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Mar 27, 2007 at 05:58 PM |
 John D. Heaton, Nanometrics President and Chief Executive Officer, a company director since 1995 and bearer of a 17-year tenure at Nanometrics, has left the company with immediate effect, though no explanation was given by the company for the move.
Instead, Bruce C. Rhine (pictured), the former head of Accent Optical Technologies, acquired by Nanometrics in 2006, will replace Heaton on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is found, the company said in brief statement.
Nanometrics has struggled to return to profitability in recent years, even after two acquisitions in 2006. The company competes directly with major metrology equipment company KLA-Tencor and has three major customers that contribute significantly to its revenues each year (Applied Materials, Samsung & Hynix), according to SEC company filings.
Bruce Rhine, who was a co-founder of Accent Optical Technologies as well as a CVD equipment firm, managed a $175 million oxide etch business unit at Lam Research, was President and COO of Asyst Technologies, and founded and sold a CMP equipment company, Obsidian, Inc. to Applied Materials. Rhine is believed to be one of the largest single shareholders (7.5 percent) in Nanometrics after the all-share acquisition of Accent Optical in 2006. He has an MBA degree in Finance and a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, graduating with honors.
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