Aixtron

Aixtron SE
Societas Europaea
Traded as FWB: AIXA
Industry Semiconductor industry
Founded 1983
Headquarters Herzogenrath, Germany
Key people
 Bernd Schulte (President), Felix J. Grawert (President), Kim Schindelhauer (Chairman of the supervisory board)
Products Metalorganic chemical vapour deposition equipment
Revenue €196.5 million (2016)[1]
€-21.4 million (2016)[1]
€-24.0 million (2016)[1]
Total assets €436.2 million (end 2016)[1]
Total equity €369.7 million (end 2016)[1]
Number of employees
 705 (end 2016)[1]
Website www.aixtron.com

Aixtron SE is a German-based European technology company, which specialises in manufacturing metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) equipment, for clients in the semiconductor industry. The company's shares are listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Until December 19, 2016 AIXTRON was a constituent of the TecDAX index. AIXTRON returned to the German technology index as per March 20, 2017.[2]

History

AIXTRON was founded as a spin-out industry from RWTH Aachen University in 1983.[3] The company listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange's now-defunct Neuer Markt, in November 1997.[4] Since going public the company has made several acquisitions, with the Scientific Equipment Division of the British company Thomas Swan & Co. and the Swedish chemical vapor deposition equipment maker Epigress AB both purchased in 1999.[5][6]

The company completed a €118 million merger with American rival Genus, Inc. in March 2005[7] and bought British nanomaterial developer Nanoinstruments Ltd., a company spun out from the University of Cambridge, in 2007.[8]

In December 2010 the company converted from a German Aktiengesellschaft to a Societas Europaea to reflect its European and international nature.

In October 2016 China’s Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund LP wanted to acquire Aixtron, but Germany’s economics ministry withdrew the approval of the takeover.[9] In November 2016 the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) recommended both sides to drop their plan, because of national security concerns.[10]

In 2017 AIXTRON sold its ALD/CVD Memory Product line, produced in Sunnyvale to Eugene Technology from South Korea. AIXTRON said it continues to execute restructuring measures as well as to seek the establishment of partnerships for its OLED business in order to return to profitability in 2018, and to this end in October 2017 the OLED business became a separate company - APEVA SE. In May 2018, Taiwanese epi foundry VPEC expanded with Aixtron Technology to meet growing demand for lasers and other devices.[11][12]

Operations

65% of AIXTRON's revenues come from clients in Asia, with around 16% coming from Europe and the remaining 19% from the United States.[1] The company produces metalorganic chemical vapour deposition equipment, used for making a range of electronic and opto-electronic products containing compound, organic and silicon-based semiconductors as well as nanotubes and nanofibers.[13]

Many AIXTRON systems use a "planetary reactor" process whereby gaseous semiconductor substances are deposited on revolving wafers,[14] while others utilise a Close Coupled "shower head" method of deposition.

Manufacturing sites are located in Herzogenrath near Aachen in Germany, and Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Aixtron. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  2. ↑ "AIXTRON SE to be included in TecDAX". Deutsche Börse Group (Press release). 3 March 2017. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  3. ↑ "Double decade anniversary". III-Vs Review. Elsevier Science. 16 (6): 32. August 2003. doi:10.1016/S0961-1290(03)00782-8.
  4. ↑ Elston, Julie Ann (June 2002). "An Examination of the Relationship Between Firm Size, Growth and Liquidity in the Neuer Markt" (PDF). Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies. Economic Research Centre of the Deutsche Bundesbank. 2002 (15). Retrieved 2008-06-09.
  5. ↑ "AIXTRON acquires Thomas Swan's Scientific Equipment Division" (Press release). Aixtron. September 1999. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
  6. ↑ "AIXTRON acquires a 70% interest in Swedish CVD equipment manufacturer EPIGRESS" (Press release). Aixtron. October 1999. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
  7. ↑ Brandt, Nadja (31 March 2005). "Aixtron Says Business Climate to Remain Difficult in 2005". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
  8. ↑ "Aixtron acquires UK co Nanoinstruments for undisclosed amount". AFX News. Forbes. 8 October 2007. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
  9. ↑ "Germany Withdraws Approval of Chinese Takeover of Aixtron". The Wall Street Journal. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  10. ↑ "Showdown Looms as U.S. Questions Chinese Deal for Aixtron". New York Times. 19 November 2016. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  11. ↑ "VPEC expands with Aixtron technology - News". Compound Semiconductor. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  12. ↑ it-times. "Aixtron erhält Auftrag für MOCVD-Technologie von VPEC aus Taiwan" (in German). Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  13. ↑ "Product Overview". Aixtron. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
  14. ↑ "Hoover's Profile: Aixtron Aktiengesellschaft". Hoover's. 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-09.

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