WASHINGTON – The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) today released the following statement from SIA President and CEO John Neuffer applauding finalization of semiconductor manufacturing investments announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce and GlobalFoundries. The incentives, which are part of the CHIPS and Science Act, will support GlobalFoundries manufacturing projects in New York and Vermont.

“We commend the Commerce Department and GlobalFoundries for finalizing CHIPS Act incentives that will strengthen America’s economy, national security, and global competitiveness. The new investments will advance essential semiconductor production for automotive, communications, and defense applications. We urge leaders in Washington to get more CHIPS agreements finalized expeditiously to help keep America on top in chip technology for many years to come.”

The CHIPS Act is on track to strengthen American manufacturing, create jobs, boost economic growth, and promote national security. The CHIPS Act’s manufacturing incentives have sparked substantial announced investments in the U.S. In fact, companies in the semiconductor ecosystem have announced 90 new projects across 28 U.S. states—totaling hundreds of billions of dollars in private investments—since the CHIPS Act was introduced. These announced projects will create more than 58,000 jobs in the semiconductor ecosystem and support hundreds of thousands of additional U.S. jobs throughout the U.S. economy.

An SIA-Boston Consulting Group report released in May projected the United States will triple its domestic semiconductor manufacturing capacity from 2022—when CHIPS was enacted—to 2032. The projected 203% growth is the largest projected percent increase in the world over that time. The report also projected America will capture over one-quarter (28%) of total global capital expenditures (capex) from 2024-2032. The U.S. Department of Commerce previously announced incentives for a range of companies and projects that will help strengthen the U.S. semiconductor supply chain.

NASHVILLE – KYZEN, the global leader in innovative environmentally friendly cleaning chemistries, will exhibit at the SMTA Silicon Valley Expo & Tech Forum on Thursday, December 5, 2024 at the Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley in Fremont, CA. KYZEN will showcase stencil cleaner KYZEN E5631, aqueous flux cleaner AQUANOX A4618 and the KYZEN Process Control System (PCS) during the event.

KYZEN provides effective cleaning solutions to meet challenges in every phase of manufacturing PCBs and other electronic assemblies.

KYZEN E5631 is a stencil cleaner designed for use at low concentrations and ambient temperature for cleaning all types of raw solder paste in spray-in-air, understencil and ultrasonic systems. It is compatible with a variety of materials including stencil foil, epoxy adhesives, frames, and mesh in addition to being compliant with RoHS and REACH requirements.

AQUANOX A4618 is an aqueous cleaning chemistry designed to address the challenges of cleaning the latest lead-free flux residues, including no-clean and Pb-free residues, while achieving mirrored solder finishes. A4618 has a low cost of ownership, an adjusted stabilizer, and cleans successfully at low concentrations and temperatures.

The KYZEN Process Control System controls, monitors and automatically reacts to the dynamic changes in wash concentrations, allowing users to maximize high-quality output from inline cleaning systems. KYZEN has continuously improved and advanced the capabilities of the KYZEN PCS from its introduction more than 20 years ago, and it remains the only complete concentration monitoring and control system available in the world.

From cleaning stencil apertures to removing flux residue from completed boards, KYZEN provides chemistries to meet unique cleaning needs and even provide real-time monitoring of chemical concentrations with the KYZEN PCS. For more information, visit www.kyzen.com 

HUTTO, TX – ViTrox Americas Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of MaRCTex Inc. as its new representative for the states of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Led by industry veteran Mike Gunderson, MaRCTex has a proven track record of supplying essential tools and solutions for the electronics manufacturing and high-tech industry across the United States. Additionally, demos are available at the ViTrox Americas Demo Center in Hutto, Texas.

Sy Creed, Business Development Director at ViTrox Americas, said, “We are excited to partner with MaRCTex, and expand our presence throughout Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. MaRC’s excellent customer support, combined with its extensive expertise in the electronics manufacturing industry, makes it a perfect match for ViTrox. We look forward to working together to bring our advanced 3D inspection solutions to even more customers, helping them enhance quality and efficiency across their operations.”

MaRCTex brings a strong focus on sales and service, with a highly experienced team committed to providing exceptional support and expertise to customers. Known for its dedication to customer satisfaction, MaRCTex is an ideal partner to represent ViTrox’s advanced 3D inspection technology. This includes the V310i 3D SPI system for high-precision solder paste inspection, the V510i AOI series for SMT and advanced packaging, and the V810i S2 EX 3D AXI system for in-depth inspection of hidden solder joints.

Mike Gunderson, President of MaRCTex, shared his thoughts on the new collaboration: “ViTrox’s 3D inspection systems are recognized globally for their quality, and we’re eager to bring these transformative solutions to our customers in the region. Having the ViTrox Demo Center in the Austin, Texas area is a huge benefit to local customers. Our customers expect to take full advantage of that facility, exploring firsthand the capabilities of ViTrox’s products and seeing the impact they can have on production efficiency and quality.”

Customers interested in learning more about ViTrox’s innovative solutions or the partnership can contact MaRCTex at mike@marctexinc.com 

For more information about ViTrox, visit www.vitrox.com 

PENANG, MALAYSIA – Growth-focused, electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider, ESCATEC, has appointed industry veteran Steven Waterston as a Director of Business Development, effective immediately. He will lead ESCATEC’s initiatives to secure new mechatronics projects globally, by leveraging on the Group’s expertise and technical capabilities in meeting the needs of OEMs in this market segment.

Waterston brings 24 years of experience in the EMS industry and 14 years in semiconductor manufacturing, and was recently Senior Director of Business Development at Flex within their Industrial Business Unit focused on capital equipment manufacturing. He has a strong reputation for driving sales growth and building successful cross-border sales teams, with extensive experience in contract and financial negotiations.

“We are delighted to have Steven join us,” said ESCATEC CEO Charles-Alexandre Albin, “his expertise will enable ESCATEC to deliver increasingly complex projects and to strengthen partnerships with OEMs who require high-performance and cost-efficient mechatronics solutions.”

Waterston’s appointment underscores ESCATEC’s commitment to investing in exceptional talent and supporting OEMs with innovative and scalable solutions that drive market success.

ESCATEC offers a full value chain of EMS services, from D&D to product certification to mass manufacturing and after-sales services, ranging across electronics, mechatronics, machining, MOEMS, box build, and plastic moulding. The Group’s integrated production network encompasses four facilities in Malaysia, two at Chomutov in the Czech Republic, one in Lutterworth in the United Kingdom, one at Plovdiv in Bulgaria, and an advanced microelectronics facility in Heerbrugg, Switzerland. It also has a Design & Development (D&D) Centre in Switzerland and strategic partnerships in Croatia and the United States.